


Fugitives

by Darksidechick



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Adventure, Character Deaths, F/M, Fake Marriage, Mild Sexual Content, Romance, WW2 inspired, bits of violence, cross-kingdom adventure, post canon au, wartime scenarios
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-10 21:21:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 113,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20534786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darksidechick/pseuds/Darksidechick
Summary: In the blink of an eye, festive event held in a neighboring kingdom turns disastrous, and Princess Anna is taken prisoner. Trapped deep behind enemy lines, her only hope of surviving is to find a way back to Arendelle. There’s support in an unlikely ally, but their shared history only makes a tense situation all the more challenging….





	1. A History of Kingdoms

**Author's Note:**

> The premise for this fic came about after binge-watching "Hogan's Heroes", an older TV show from the '60s about a POW camp in WW2 Germany. I regret nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The opener is all world-building, and sets the political atmosphere for the fic, so there's a lot of background information and kingdom history since the major bulk of this story takes place outside of Arendelle.
> 
> I also want to give a shout-out to my lovely friends xSerpx and glm-mer on tumblr for their help on this first chapter!

If there was a present sentiment shared among all of the kingdoms scattered across the realm, it was the importance of friendships. Allegiances. Allies. No one kingdom could survive solely on their own and maintaining peace with neighbors near and far was the key to prosperity and survival. Many of the inter-kingdom relations spanned through generations, and each was unique.

The realm could be broken into two main regions: the northern land masses and islands, and the main southern continent. In the north, one larger landmass was divided by two kingdoms: the kingdom of Arendelle, ruled by Queen Elsa, whose main city, small towns and overall territory took over the majority of the land. They shared a northern border with Vallacia, a fortified city-state led by King Argus, that included stretches of forest and farmland between its city gates and the base of their sides of the mountain range. These two governments were always amicable towards each other, being closest neighbors, and were always on hand to support the other with any international issue that would arise.

The southern edge of the northern region contained a series of islands. The royal house of Westergaard controlled these islands and shared their own connection with city-state to the extreme north, one through marriage, for the Crowned Prince Frederick had taken the hand of Charlotte, Vallacia's only princess. The Isles also shared a history of friendship with Arendelle, as one of their former queens was an aristocrat from the northern kingdom.

Weselton was an island to the extreme west, a Duchy governed by Duke Reginald Spencer. Being so far and isolated, their economy relied heavily on imports and exports from the surrounding kingdoms.

The southern portion of the realm contained the main continent, housing several of the larger kingdoms. Rheland, to the east, was one of the oldest kingdoms in all of the realm. The royal house of Edvard served the people for centuries, receiving the praise and adoration of not only their people, but of their allies for maintaining an era of peace and prosperity for so long. King Wilhelm's charitable nature and involvement in the workings of the lower classes has made him a true father figure to the people.

The kingdom of Corona was to the western side, the most neutral of locations. Friendly and trading with everyone, and sometimes no one should conflicts arise, the people admire King Frederic's desire on keeping out of foreign affairs if and whenever possible, so long as the kingdom isn't in a direct line of fire.

However, the realm wasn't always in a state of peace. With the rise of Queen Elsa of Arendelle, Weselton found itself in hot water after Duke Spencer's attitudes and actions towards the new queen left his Duchy without a major trade partner. And Prince Hans' attempt to murder the Queen and usurp the throne marred the Southern Isles' reputation, and their relationship with Arendelle was left strained, to the point of severing.

But these instances were rather minor compared to the history of one particular country, one that was more troublesome than all of the rest.

Alvania.

Sandwiched between Corona and Rheland, Alvania was once a powerful kingdom, led by stern, ruthless kings for so many generations. The military was strong, and the lower and working classes were essentially forced into the role of servitude for the upper aristocracy. Select freedoms were enjoyed only by those wealthy enough to buy into them and worm their way into the royal house's good graces. In spite of such harsh environments, the monarchy's political relations with their neighbors were fairly neutral. Alvania traded steadily with their border-neighbors, and kingdoms across the seas often remained up-to-date with their commercial policies. After all, traded goods were important to keeping the kingdom afloat. Of course, only those wealthy enough could really enjoy the treasures shared by their neighbors. Taxes were high, and those who paid the most were often the ones who had very little income to spare.

Things started changing for the Alvanian people in the mid 1700's. King Gustav ascended to the throne, and with him brought a drastic shift in domestic policies. The royal army was downgraded, and more freedoms and opportunities were granted to the common man. King Gustav even negotiated a new agreement with Rheland, their oldest and closest ally, and taxes were lowered on all traded goods over their borders, and passage to and from the kingdoms were welcome and encouraged for the first time in so many years. While many praised the king for his giving nature and genuine concern for the lower class, there were several in the upper circles who criticized the monarchy for rendering Alvania soft and weak.

However, in 1775, Alvania's real troubles began. The current monarch, King Gustav II died suddenly after only two years on the throne, and at the tender age of twenty-three. His arranged marriage to Rheland's Crown Princess Alexandra was never finalized. He died without a wife, nor children, nor _heir_ to the throne. The king's mourning period brought on an emotional and political crisis for Alvania. The late-king's advisers rushed desperately to find any link of relatives, no matter how distant, to claim lineage. They found a fourth cousin, a Duke governing a small territorial island off Alvania's southern coast. He was the closest male relative, and so once the mourning transition period ended, up rose Albert Mathias, the new king.

Unfortunately, this new monarch was not what the majority of the people envisioned. He certainly didn't live up to their expectations, nor did he follow in the charitable footsteps of his two predecessors. King Albert was self-indulgent. He was greedy. And he made sure his new royal promotion granted him every luxury the kingdom could possibly offer, regardless of the cost. Aside from his royal advisers—positions filled by his closest friends from his time as Duke, rather than men of qualified merit—he filled his court with women. Young, fair, exotic women from all over, some even from other kingdoms and territories. His time as the Duke offered him plenty of chances to court, entertain, and seduce, and it was one of his favorite pastimes. He was known to his region as the royal womanizer, and that carried through into his reign. During his early tours of the kingdom, any beautiful maidens that captured too much of his attention were invited to Warrick Castle in Ordoff, the capital city, with the remote possibility of becoming the future queen. King Albert rarely spent nights alone, and he would rotate which women were granted the honor of sharing his bed, sometimes two in a night if he was feeling particularly lustful. He encouraged competition in his mistresses, determined to make the winner his bride. And when he tired of a woman, or if she became pregnant, she was dismissed from court and he would exchange her out with someone new. These women were toys to him, objects to gratify the throbbing of his loins, and he only wanted to be serviced by the best the kingdom could offer. In return for their affection, he adorned them with expensive clothing and jewels, and let them parade about the castle as if they truly belonged there.

To finance his lavish lifestyle, taxes were hiked all over the kingdom, and once again, the common people felt the worst of the increase. Prices of imports and exports were also raised to cover costs, with the surplus going right into the royal treasury.

As the years went by, the new comforts of the citizens dwindled. Wealthy aristocrats and nobility were able to maintain their high standards of living by showing excess allegiance to the king, but the steady middle class slowly blended into the working class, and poverty levels began to rise. By 1780, the class divide was larger than it ever had been before, and those most affected by the king's biased laws and policies had had enough. Whispers of rebellion formed in the dark alleys of some cities and towns and in some regions, even the aristocrats who were tired of sucking up to the king with nothing to show for it were ready to join the revolution, and they became the funding behind the movement.

1782 was the year King Albert made his most grievous error.

In April, Rheland's Queen Alexandra ascended to the throne at the young age of twenty-five, and she was scheduled to make a state visit to Alvania to commemorate the lasting friendship between the two kingdoms. Naturally, King Albert had an evening celebration planned at Warrick Castle, and with the party, he had his own personal agenda. He had grown tired of his mistresses, even the newer ones, and felt it was time a king settled his future. During the grand party, he made sure to bolster his appearance, and his ego. He made sure the young, beautiful Queen was given the best Alvania could offer in terms of food, wine, and company. He spent half the evening dancing with Alexandra. He interpreted every polite smile and gesture she gave him to one of personal flirtations, and it only spurred him on further. She retired from the party early, and he was left with the company of his mistresses and his wines until the party's true end.

And then he made his move.

Late that evening, he slipped into Queen Alexandra's bedchamber with the proposal of joining their kingdoms. After all, she was meant to be wed to his predecessor and their kingdoms united. What difference would it make for her to wed _him_ instead. He would benefit from a younger queen and bride to please him each night, and their union would naturally bring about a slew of healthy male heirs. Alexandra, on the one hand, found the discussion valid to a point, however, this was certainly neither the time nor the place. She was a proper lady through and through and refused to entertain him at this time of night. Albert, far too inebriated from the party to act rationally, would not relent. He was used to getting his way, especially from the women in his castle, and tried again. And again. He would not take no for an answer. Only instead of using rational words, he used brute force, and managed to get her down onto the bed underneath him.

Despite the castle's attempts to keep the king's immoral behavior within its walls, word quickly spread throughout the city, especially when Queen Alexandra and her entourage were seen hastily departing early that morning, the rest of her state visit canceled. In the days that followed, stories were printed in both Rheland and Alvania's press of the horrifying incident, but more importantly, how Rheland severed the long standing trade relationship with Alvania. And with the kingdom's largest supplier of trade gone, prices took yet another rise for imports from other lands.

King Albert led a vicious verbal attack against Alexandra, calling her claims of assault and rape slanderous, and her sudden termination of trade to be a vile act against the Alvanian economy and her people. The feud between monarchs never relented, and with each press report on the King's behavior, the Alvanian people's desire to revolt only strengthened. In the months that followed, Queen Alexandra's royal guard captured and executed a slew of spies sent from the Warrick castle. Albert considered the spilling of blood an act of aggression and demanded justice. She responded with a declaration of war—the first direct confrontation the kingdom has engaged in centuries.

News of war divided the Alvanian people. There were the minorities who were loyal to their king, they jumped at the opportunity to put a young queen in her place. The majority, however, refused to fight a war for the king—a war only brought on by his lack of self-control. Instead of marching to the battlefield, they used the opportunity to officially band together and start their revolution. King Albert soon found himself facing a war on two fronts—the Rheland border, and in his own cities, especially ones closest to the capital. The constant rioting in the streets forced his soldiers to retreat to protect the castle and his own interests.

Queen Alexandra didn't exactly have a large army at her disposal, but she didn't need one, either. She knew going into the conflict that the majority of Alvania held no support for their monarch, and she was correct and anticipating the start of their revolution. As her soldiers advanced into Alvanian lands, they were met with disgruntled farmers and working class, and the numbers advancing on Ordoff were staggering.

The war lasted just under a month. Rheland suffered very few loses in a combat environment. Alvania didn't fare much worse. The majority of the casualties came from the king's royal guard, but the greatest loss, if one could really consider it a loss, was that of the crown. When Rheland's guard captured Warrick castle, they found King Albert's naked body and that of one of his mistresses, tangled in his bed sheets with spilled wine dripping onto the floor beside the bed.

Wine laced with poison.

The mystery of who killed the king was never officially solved. Some believed a disgruntled servant went too far. Others put the blame on the revolutionaries. A rumor of assassination on Queen Alexandra's behalf even circulated inside the castle walls. But as a whole, the people didn't dwell on the matter for too long. Once again, Alvania was left without a proper king. Only this time, instead of combing the countryside and territorial lands for an ill-equipped lord or duke, the members of the royal staff turned to the victor of war for answers.

Queen Alexandra had returned to Warrick castle after the news of King Albert's death reached her in Oskberg, Rheland's capital. She brought with her a select group of her advisors and temporarily occupied the foreign residence so talks could begin between the two governments. An agreement was made before too long, that Alvania would fall under Rheland's imperial rule and would be looked after by a governor appointed by the queen's advisors. To satisfy the common man, they would benefit from the same privileges that any citizen of Rheland would—lower taxes, an increase in trade, and once again, free and easy crossings over the Alvanian-Rheland border. The people seemed happy with this solution. It gave the working class hope that their lives would revert back to the relative ease and prosperity that they were just starting to enjoy.

The first few years went by well. Queen Alexandra's policies and promises were upheld for the Alvanian people, and those worst-affected prior to the take-over were once again rising back into middle class status. As a whole, there was support for Lord Hostetter, the appointed governor, and by extension, support for the crown as well. Alvania even got to take part in their own celebrations when the monarch married Georg Von Falkner, a ranking lord from Oslo, a small imperial territory to Rheland's south. And with their union, the news of a royal baby brought even more excuses to celebrate, as well as another kingdom-wide holiday.

The turn of the century also brought about another change. The birth of a second royal child shifted some of Queen Alexandra's priorities from politics to motherhood, and her husband, Prince Georg, assumed the unofficial role of overseeing the affairs of the imperial kingdom. It also brought on a change in leadership for Alvania. Lord Hostetter resigned, and the Prince appointed Baron von Streiff, a member of his staff, to serve as the replacement. The new governor didn't do wrong by the people per say, but his nonchalant attitude towards the common man and their troubles left them wanting. It posed the question if Rheland still cared about the welfare of Alvania's citizens.

Men who served under the kingdom's previous monarchs started meeting together in Ordoff. They proposed the idea of traveling to Oskberg to see the Queen about letting Alvania exist independently once more. The economy was stable, and the majority of the citizens would approve of the idea, especially after the way they banded together to revolt King Albert's government.

The meeting in Oskberg didn't go as planned, but it wasn't a complete loss, either. Queen Alexandra was concerned that the officials were making assumptions about their people and proposed an alternative. If Alvania should be an independent country, the freedom should be earned, especially since there had never been a stable government without a ruling monarch. Candidates should be selected to travel the land to gain the trust of the citizens and an election would be held against the governor in office. Alvania would become free of imperialist rule only if the candidate could win the election. Before the Alvanian officials left, she urged them to have a plan of government in place before setting the time for a vote.

The Alvanians found campaigning harder than they originally thought. While they easily gained support from most of the lower working classes, the middle and aristocrats were a lot harder to convince. Many of them were sticklers of tradition, and sworn monarchists, regardless of where the crown resided. Queen Alexandra made their lives relatively comfortable, and they were content leaving things as they were and not risking another change in power.

Alvania lost the first election by a landslide, and as per the agreement made, the next would have to wait three more years, to give a chance for another suitable candidate to rise. Unfortunately, the second election was also lost to the Rheland governor, though the results weren't as depressing for Alvania this time. To increase their chances, additional educators were brought into schools and upper universities as public policy and politics became increasingly popular studies. Divisions also began forming among the people into two parties: the monarchists and the anti-imperialists.

Anti-imperialist sentiment gained momentum in 1810, when the Rheland heir, crowned prince Wilhelm took a massive kingdom-wide tour. While he visited every region in Rheland, he only spent part of a day in Alvania. The people had been looking forward to his visit and felt incredibly snubbed with the lack of attention. They pressed the governor for answers, and all that could be offered was a last-minute-change in schedules. But the prince didn't seem phased at all on his return trip to his homeland. If this was how the future king would treat territorial citizens, perhaps it really was time to press harder for a free Alvania.

Resentment grew when each election held ended in failure. They suspected the governor was somehow involved in the election process to keep himself in power. And he wasn't the only one. Prince Georg was not keen for Alvania to stand on its own after being under imperial rule for so long. Promises made by the Queen were slowly being recanted and stricter policies were put into place as a subtle means of punishing the territory for causing domestic unrest. But stricter laws didn't stop the working classes from regrouping and trying to overcome their challenges. In 1827, Queen Alexandra died. Prince Gregor lost his anchor in his administrative duties, and the crown was passed to his son and heir, Prince Wilhelm.

The new monarch had tried to appease the Alvanian people by rolling back a few recent restrictions, but it was too little, too late. The prior years of neglect helped pave the way for one glimmer of hope.

Compared to the older candidates with political experience under their belts, Viktor Beker was a much younger man and relatively new to the political atmosphere. His knowledge of the kingdom and policy came from years of rigorous university study of politics and history, and he was a natural at giving compelling and moving speeches. His goal was to rally all of Alvania together. He campaigned strongly and his tours through the land focused on returning Alvania to its former glory. Years of being ruled by a woman figurehead made Alvania a crumbling shadow to the way it used to be, and he was determined to revive the vigor of the kings of old, only without the stigma of an out-of-touch monarch. Never again would the working classes be subjected to unfair treatment from laws only benefiting the wealthy. He promised to revive the traditions and customs that Alvanians used to enjoy for generations and could no longer due to the imperialist restrictions. He promised opportunities and prosperity to the people, and an increase in the military to ensure no other kingdom could take advantage of Alvania ever again. With each town he passed through and every speech he gave, he gathered more and more supporters. His words were sweet music to everyone's ears.

In 1835, Beker won the election against Baron von Streiff. For his part, King Wilhelm upheld the agreement signed by his predecessor, and pulled his government and soldiers out of the territory. Alvania was a free country at last.

Independence came at a price. The rocky relationship between Rheland and Alvania had been observed by the other kingdoms, and their leaders were left wondering how this new country would operate throughout the realm. Trade agreements that were in place before Rheland's take-over were reinstated, albeit a bit warily, as a means of gaining a new ally.

Alvania did lose a trade partner in 1839. Arendelle. Beker had attended Queen Elsa's coronation and was appalled at her display of unnatural abilities. He denounced her of not only being a coward and abandoning the throne, but of being a witch in possession of unholy magic. His strong opinions were shared by the delegate from Armensgrad and by Duke Spencer of Weselton. All three kingdoms severed their ties to Arendelle once the summer was thawed, and their own allegiances strengthened as a result. To make matters worse for Beker, his ship was one of many that were destroyed by the frozen fjord and violent unnatural storms. He took the accident as a personal attack, and for the fact that he was put into the embarrassing position of asking Princess Rapunzel and Prince Eugene of Corona for passage back to the continent.

As the remainder of the '30s passed, Beker put his plans into immediate action. Alvania's armies grew exponentially thanks to the incentives offered to the lower class citizens, and Beker's anti-monarchist sentiments fueled fire throughout the country. Nearby kingdoms were left speechless at the way the Alvanian people clung to their Chancellor's every word. They all kept close, cautious eyes on Alvanian news as it traveled through the realm, but none more than King Wilhelm, for it was no secret that Beker shared no ounce of friendship for him or his kingdom. Beker's grievances against the king were so deep and so personal that only a select few on his staff knew the truth. Trade policies remained in place with Rheland only to benefit the needs of the people. The two leaders refused communications with each other unless it was absolutely necessary.

But, with a few years of neutral peace under Alvania's belt, the rest of the realm was at relative ease for the time being. Autumn was now approaching, and royal representatives from kingdoms all over were looking forward to flocking to Rheland for an event not held in so many years: The Fall Harvest Festival….


	2. Preparations

-October, 1842-

"Anna?" Elsa asked as she knocked on the open door to her sister's bedroom. "I was wondering if you needed help pa—" the young queen's mouth dropped open as she glanced around the bedroom. Packing trunks were open and spread about the room, most empty. There were a few garments tossed at the extreme foot of the bed, and Anna was lounging across the rest of it, flipping lazily through a book. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be packing? You leave first thing tomorrow."

"I've got plenty of time. It's only two-thirty."

"Try half-past-five." Elsa said, leaning into the door frame and crossing her arms. "We'll be eating dinner in an hour."

"_Wait, what?!_" Anna rolled over to glance at the clock sitting on her bedside table. "Yeesh! Why didn't you come sooner?"

"Why didn't you just pack like you were supposed to?"

Anna smiled sheepishly and stood up, smoothing out her skirts. "I'm sorry, Elsa," she said and rubbed the back of her neck, "I suppose I got a little distracted."

"With what, may I ask?" Elsa walked into the room and picked up one of the balled-up garments at the end of the bed.

"I've been reading up on Rheland." Anna said as she watched her sister fold the petticoat. "…well, what I could find about the kingdom in our libraries, anyway. It's my first time visiting there… actually, my first time visiting anywhere, really. O-on my own, I mean. I want to make a good impression."

"Is that so?" Elsa asked, a coy smile forming across her features. "Now is that in representing Arendelle or… to impress your newest admirer?"

Anna felt her face immediately flush. In order to hide the redness of her cheeks, she quickly crossed the room to her wardrobe and opened the doors. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do." Elsa grinned. "I seem to recall one charming foreign prince who was absolutely fascinated by you."

"First of all," Anna began with the slightest of huffs, "His name is Prince Oscar. And he's not just 'a prince'. He's _the_ crowned prince of Rheland—"

"—and second?"

"He was not absolutely fascinated. He was merely being friendly."

"Anna, men are friendly to _me_." Elsa replied and placed the folded petticoat where it belonged in the trunk. "That man couldn't take his eyes off of you during his entire visit. Not to mention all of the times he tried to pull you back onto the dance floor during that one reception…"

"Alright, alright!" Anna shot her sister a look and started pulling dresses out of her wardrobe. "He was being _very_ friendly."

Elsa picked up another garment and placed it in the trunk, "I'm surprised he hasn't asked to court you yet. He's certainly a charming man."

"You say that about every man who dances with me." Anna dumped her new wave of clothes onto the bed. "I've gotten a lot of potential suitors over the last three years."

"Yes, but he's the only one who seemed to capture—and keep—your attention."

"That's not true." Anna started sorting through her chosen clothes, "he's just the first one that _I_ _liked_ that you also seem to like."

Elsa paused in her folding and glanced at Anna. She recognized her sister's tone straight away—the one used whenever _he_ was mentioned.

"You can't possibly be comparing Prince Oscar to _Hans…_." Elsa balked. "That man didn't make the same mistakes that Ha—"

"Hans didn't do anything wrong!" Anna immediately protested. Then, realizing how stupid that statement sounded, she held up a hand to stop her sister from interjecting. "O-okay, not at first. He was a gentleman and perfectly charming to me—"

"He purposefully _seduced _you and _proposed_ within a few hours. No proper gentleman pulls that type of stunt—"

"Fine, whatever." Anna sighed. She really didn't feel like arguing. It's only been the same points back and forth for the last three years. For the small handful of qualities Anna thought were pleasant about the Southern Isles prince, there was at least twice as many foul ones, and as time went on, it was too much effort and energy trying to make arguments in Hans' defense. If Elsa didn't talk sense into her first, her own bitter anger towards the man took over and put an end to it. And since she had no plans of seeing him again, what did it matter?

"Well, as you say, since Prince Oscar is such a charming gentleman—a real one-, you won't have to worry." Anna continued, "Maybe he really is very, very friendly, but I don't plan on falling for his little charms. I'm not so easily taken in anymore. Especially after what happened with Hans. I don't let men just weasel their way into my heart anymore. And it's not like anything could really benefit from us, anyway."

Elsa nearly dropped the blouse in her hands. "What do you mean?" She asked.

Anna perched herself on the only clean spot near the end of the bed and started fiddling with her clothes, "I dunno, isn't there a rule or something about a girl being the crowned princess of two separate kingdoms?"

Elsa merely shrugged and placed more garments in the nearest trunk. "I believe that's how lands become united."

"Well, I don't think I could handle all of that." Anna sighed. "And I'm not looking for that kind of attention. I'm happy being on my own." She immediately hopped off the bed and turned on her sister. "Anyway…" she began, in an effort to steer the course of the conversation somewhere else, "I'm going to be gone for a few weeks—"

"—over a month," Elsa nodded.

"What sorts of shenanigans will you get up to while I'm away?"

"Oh, probably none," Elsa smiled wistfully and handed her sister another folded garment, "You and I both know that between the two of us, you're the fun one."

"Now that is _not_ true! C'mon, you're the one with the magic!"

"Maybe so, but you're the one who initiates almost all of the adventure." Elsa replied. "I'm far more reserved than you—I have to be. I'm the queen. And I'm sure while you're away I'll only bury myself in kingdom matters."

"ugh." Anna sighed and shook her head, "that's just sad. A-and boring! Will you at least have some stories for me when I get back?"

"Oh, I'm sure. Though I can't promise how interesting they'll be. I'll be the one more intrigued with the tales of your adventures in Rheland. The Fall Harvest festival sounds like it'll be a grand time."

"I'm very excited for it!" Anna smiled and moved a full trunk over towards her bedroom door. "This is taking place during prime apple season, and according to Prince Oscar's letters, it's going to be the theme of the festival." She started counting off her fingers, "There's going to be tours through some of the farm country, apple picking, food tastings…mmmm…."

"It sounds like you'll be eating your way to bliss for a month."

"Right? I love apples." Anna glanced down at herself and tugged at her skirt. "I'm probably gonna need bigger clothes by the time I get back!"

Elsa smiled fondly, "just don't forget that you're also representing me in an official capacity. At some point during your stay, you promised to meet with the ambassador about renewing our trade agreements."

"I know." Anna nodded. "I'll do that early on. Then the rest of the stay is all about fun." Back at the bed, she continued to pack, "you've probably heard by now who's attending this thing, right?"

Elsa nodded. "Yes. Most of the kingdoms in the realm are sending some official representative. Us, Vallacia, Malengrad, Maldonia, Armensgrad, Osterheim, the Southern Isles…." Elsa continued rattling off kingdoms when Anna suddenly put her hands up in the air.

"Wait… who's attending from the Southern Isles?"

"I believe Queen Charlotte is."

"O-oh!" Anna exhaled a sigh of relief. "I like Charlotte. We got along really well during her visits to Arendelle." She rubbed her nose. "Though, she was just a princess then. Gosh… I haven't seen her since her wedding to Prince Frederick! What a wonderful time. I've never seen a pair more smitten with each other in all my life."

"Considering their courtship was only a few months, yes." Elsa added. "But it's been what, two years since the wedding? According to all the gossip columns in the inter-kingdom news, they're just as love-struck as they were before. The honeymoon phase is still alive and well."

"Yeah…." Anna sighed, dreamily reminiscing about her own past dreams of finding her true love and that one special connection, then she snapped back to reality. "Anyway, since she's coming, at least I'll have one friend to talk to."

"Oh, don't be silly. Even if you don't get a chance to spend time with Queen Charlotte, there will still be Kristoff—" Elsa cut herself off and glanced towards the open door. "—that reminds me. He should have returned to the castle by now. I should see if he's ready to go."

"Actually, about that…" the princess shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other.

Elsa slowly turned back to Anna. Her sister's body language was not at all encouraging. "Yes?"

Anna bit her lip sheepishly. "He isn't coming."

"…what do you mean, he isn't coming?"

"I mean, I never told him."

Elsa's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"Okay, let me rephrase." Anna's hands waved out in front of her. "He obviously knows I'm leaving tomorrow. Only, I never told him that he was supposed to come along. I… I wanted this to be _my _adventure. You've always had Kristoff accompany me to every little activity I do. And for a while, I liked it. I liked his company. But things aren't the same between us anymore. We're no longer courting, and I think it's time we both had some time apart."

"I don't know how I feel about that. You are going off on a long journey alone—"

"You don't trust me…." Anna crossed her arms and frowned. "C'mon… admit it."

"It's not that." Elsa sighed. "your penchant for fun has also gotten you into some trouble in the past…"

Anna waved a dismissive hand, "All purely coincidental. Besides, how much trouble can I possibly get into while indulging in delicious autumn treats? I'm going to be among allies the entire time."

"And nearby some enemies, too." Elsa shook her head, "Aren't you the least bit concerned, being so close to Alvania?"

"No? Clearly King Wilhelm isn't concerned about their neighbor, so why should I be?" Anna responded, "And I can handle myself just fine. I'm twenty-one years old! I don't need a chaperone to keep an eye on me all the time, and I know that's most of the reason you've made Kristoff go with me everywhere. I'm not so naïve. My diplomacy has improved in the last few years. I know my limits when it comes to Prince Oscar and any other potential suitor. And I've certainly gotten better at thinking before speaking."

"But—"

"But nothing!" Anna exclaimed. "I've waited so long for my chance to shine. Don't take this away from me."

Elsa shook her head slightly, knowing this was a battle she wasn't going to win, "Just promise me you won't do anything foolish."

Anna offered a reassuring smile as she walked over to give her sister a hug. "I promise to be good. Really though, you're going to worry yourself over nothing. This whole affair is about an apple harvest. What could possibly happen?"

* * *

-The Southern Isles-

The royal bedchamber was abuzz with activity as maids rushed about gathering clothing from the various wardrobes and laying everything out on the large bed to sort through. A few manservants were also navigating about to bring packing trunks into the room.

"Agatha, I believe you were right…" Queen Charlotte said to her most trusted lady's maid as the women stood off to the side, out of the way. "I don't know why I thought this would be a simple afternoon chore." With a frustrated sigh, she pulled a loose lock of her honey-brown hair back behind her ear. "I should have listened to you and started this this morning…."

"I believe _yesterday_ would have been preferable, Your Majesty," the plump, elder woman replied softly, wiping her hands on her apron. "But we have a lot of help."

"Yes, but look…" the queen waved her hand about her bedroom. All she could see were piles of clothing everywhere, and the stacks were only increasing in height. "I feel like I'm preparing for a new home, not a one-month excurs—careful Clarissa!" She gasped suddenly when one younger maid nearly backed into one of the footmen. "Oh my…this is not working."

"Sorry, Your Majesty!" the girl squeaked as she scurried out of the way.

"We just need fewer hands. And feet about the room." Agatha suggested. "Perhaps with your help, Milady..."

"Whatever you think is best." Charlotte sighed again. Watching so many people move about and get in each other's way was only stressing her. "I just want this to be complete before dinner. It won't do well to transport so many trunks in the dark."

"Yes, Ma'am." Agatha stepped forward and gathered her maids and moved everyone to the far side of the room to talk.

Once the room cleared away a bit, Charlotte walked over to the bed and began surveying the mess. Blouses, dresses, formal gowns, undergarments, each type of garb had their own pile atop the bedding.

"… I don't even know where to start…" she mumbled to herself.

Suddenly, an arm shot into her peripheral vision and reached down to grab at one of the pairs of stockings about to slip off onto the floor. "Christ, you have a lot of clothes."

Charlotte jumped at the surprise company behind her and turned around to see her husband, King Frederick, standing mere inches away with an amused smirk on his face.

"Frederick!" She gasped, putting a hand to her chest. She could feel her rapid heartbeat and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Her violet eyes locked with his blue ones for a few moments before his attire caught her eye. The decorations on his royal tunic were all disheveled. "My goodness, what happened to you?"

He merely shrugged and glanced down at his chest as her hands came up to fix the medals and aiguillette. "I was nearly knocked to the ground when these young lads came whipping around the corner carrying a bunch of chests. They seemed to be in a bit of a hurry, though I—"

"-Oh, Your Majesty!" Agatha gasped and suddenly dropped into a low curtsy, the other servants immediately following suit. "My apologies, I didn't see you come in—"

Frederick turned his head to address the staff, "It's alright, carry on," he said with a wave of his hand, before turning back to his wife, "On my way in, I had envisioned you in charge of this whole ordeal with everything under control. But uh… you seem out of sorts, and the maids and staff are all over there having a conference."

Charlotte shook her head. "They're organizing themselves. It was a mess before." She gestured to the bed covered in garments. "That's where this came from."

"Mmm…" Frederick nodded slowly and stepped forward to get a closer look at the bed. "And here I thought you were actually taking all of this." He chuckled.

"I hope not…" her eyes widened, "I'd need a lot more trunks." With a sigh, she started looking at some of the nightdresses pulled from the wardrobe. "I guess I should start with something simple."

"Would you care for an extra set of hands?"

Charlotte raised her eyebrow curiously but didn't spare him a glance. "_You_ want to help?"

"Why not?" He offered, "the sooner you finish, the sooner _they_ can all leave our bedchamber."

"And why does that matter, hmm? It's the middle of the afternoon. I'm sure there's plenty for you to take care of elsewhere." She retorted and sucked in a breath when he stepped closer and his arm snaked around her waist.

"Does a man need an excuse to be alone with his beloved bride on the eve before her departure?" He more-or-less whispered back.

Charlotte scoffed and nudged his side. "You just want to fool around some before dinner."

"I believe the proper phrase is 'bestowing affection', my darling." He replied and picked up one of the nightgowns, running his fingers delicately over the fabric. "Ah… I remember this one from our honeymoon…."

Charlotte's cheeks instantly flushed as she snatched the garment back. "Agatha?!" Her voice strained with desperation and she could hear Frederick chuckling softly beside her.

"Yes, Milady! We're here." The elder woman said as she rushed to the other side of the bed with her fellow maids. Her gaze shifted briefly to the king as he took it upon himself to browse eagerly through another pile of the queen's nightwear.

"Agatha," Charlotte said, regaining her maid's attention. "We need to get a move on. You will help me sort." Her eyes then traveled to the younger maids. "Clarissa, if you would please go downstairs to my sitting room. I left my itinerary on my desk. Fetch it for me?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" She said quickly, and with a curtsy, she hurried out of the room.

"Liesl," The queen continued, "do you know where Agatha stores my regalia?"

"Yes, Milady."

"Please fetch it. When you and Clarissa return, you may assist Agatha with the packing." When the maid left, Charlotte let out a sigh. "What an ordeal." Her eyes then glanced to her side and immediately smacked Frederick's hands away from her clothes. "Stop it!"

"What?" He asked innocently. "I don't get a say in which unmentionables you can wear abroad?"

She felt her cheeks redden all over again. "No. You're not going, so what does it matter?"

"What if you pack the one you need to wear _tonight_?"

Agatha couldn't help but giggle, and she covered her mouth to try and hide it from the regal couple. It didn't quite work. Charlotte stared wide-eyed at her maid before rounding on her husband.

"And what makes you certain I need to be wearing anything like that tonight?"

A teasing smile formed across his face now. "Well… if you prefer to sleep in the nude, all the better for—"

"FREDERICK!"

"Ah, to be young and in love…" Agatha sighed softly with a knowing smile to the queen.

"Don't be so embarrassed, my dear," Frederick shrugged and nodded to the lady's maid. "Agatha's a married woman, too. She knows all the delightful little secrets that go on behind closed doors."

"That's it." Charlotte hissed and pointed harshly to the adjoining sitting room in their royal suite. "You're only going to be a pest. Go sit over there and read the newspaper or something. Your valet brought it up earlier."

Frederick glanced over to the armchair near the roaring fireplace before returning his gaze to his wife, "I thought you wanted my help."

"I don't ever recall asking. You're the one who volunteered—" she paused when Clarissa came back into the bedchamber with a dossier in her hands.

"Is it this, Your Majesty?"

"Yes, thank you." Charlotte took the documents gently and then shot a glare to her husband. "Clarissa is back," she uttered softly so only he could hear, "If you insist on helping, stop it with the filthy talk. She's only a maiden, and I won't have you corrupting her."

Clarissa leaned over to Agatha. "…. did I miss something?" she asked softly, "Her Majesty is all flustered!"

"No, dearie. Nothing at all." Agatha smiled innocently. "Come now, there's work to be done."

Knowing the immediate fun was over, Frederick casually stepped back. It was apparent that Charlotte regained a sense of command over the task at hand, and he retreated to his chair. Propping his feet up on the nearby footstool, he snatched up the newspaper off the side table and scanned through the headlines. Every so often, he would glance up from his reading to peer back over into the bedroom to see the ladies' progress. A few times, he managed to lock eyes with his wife, and she managed to flash him a brief, reassuring smile before returning to her work.

"_You don't have to announce me, Josiah. He's my brother."_

"_I'm only doing my duties, sir."_

The voices in the corridor caught Frederick's attention and he sighed. Seconds later, there was a swift knock at the doorframe and his personal valet, a lean middle-aged man stepped into the room and bowed.

"Your Majesty? This arrived for you moments ago," The valet said, handing the king a closed envelope. "Also, Prince Hans is here to see you."

"Very well, Josiah. Send him in." he replied and went back to his reading. Out of the corners of his vision, he could see his youngest brother enter the room and stand before him. "Yes, Hans? What is it?" He asked without looking up from the paper.

"I uh, just finished helping load my trunks onto the ship."

"Yes….and?" Frederick glanced up briefly. "I needed to hear this?"

"Well," Hans swallowed, "Captain Hostetter was wondering when the Queen's luggage would be arriving."

Frederick blinked and made a point to look right into the bedroom. "Well… obviously not for a little while yet. It's a work in progress."

Hans briefly glanced over to the ladies at work and sighed. "O-oh." He said nervously, his hands fidgeting. "I was hoping to have a definitive answer…." He instinctively took a step back once the newspaper roughly dropped onto his brother's lap and his eyes caught Frederick's harsh gaze. Usually when Frederick or some of the other brothers grew irritated, they either chewed him out or struck him. And today he was not keen on receiving either of those for just being a mere messenger.

"Charlotte?" Frederick called, turning his head towards the other room.

"_Yes?"_

"How much longer will you be? Apparently, your ship captain is very impatient."

"_Oh dear… well, we're about half way through and—oh!_" Her voice grew louder when she happened to glance over and see the visitor in the room. With a warm smile, she walked over to the sitting room, "Hello Hans!"

"Hi." Hans offered back with a shy wave and glanced between her and Frederick.

"Are you set for the journey tomorrow?" she asked politely.

Hans nodded. "My luggage is on board. I'm only here to deliver the captain's message."

"Ah, I see." She smiled and idly folded the skirt she was holding in her hands. "Hopefully by sundown. I want to be finished and able to relax before dinner this evening. You may relay that's the best I can offer."

Hans nodded and was about to open his mouth to reply when Frederick cut him off.

"Anything else?" he asked shortly.

Hans could tell when he was no longer wanted, and so he merely shook his head and turned on his heel to leave.

Charlotte watched him go and sighed. "Was that really necessary?"

"What?"

"You're always so rude to him." She shook her head. "What has Hans done to deserve that?"

Frederick offered an incredulous stare in return. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

"_Today_, Frederick. In this exact moment, what has your brother done to warrant your attitude?" She frowned, "And don't say because he interrupted your afternoon reading. You're only sitting there because I kicked you out of the bedroom."

With a heavy sigh, Frederick only shrugged. "Lingering frustration, my love. There's just a deep anger towards him that will never go away."

"If that's anger because of something far from his control—"

"No. This is nothing about our mother." Frederick waved a dismissive hand. "He turned a sacred, celebratory event for allied kingdom into a usurping circus and soiled our family name. He shamed our kingdom, and thanks to him, my father had to do everything to make sure Queen Elsa didn't declare war on us. The undo stress and disgrace claimed him years before his time."

"Your father wasn't exactly of excellent health, either." Charlotte countered. "Everyone could see that."

"But Hans didn't help the situation any. If he just went to the coronation, behaved, and came back home like he was supposed to, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"And what mess is this?" She asked, pushing his feet off the footstool and perching herself onto it to face him. "Your father punished him, you and your brothers punished him—"

"And the first thing you did as a newly crowned queen was pardon him." Frederick shot back. "And just like that, you led him to believe all is forgiven."

"Trust me, Frederick. He _knows_ that's not true. I freed him so he wouldn't live out the rest of his life as a punching bag for you and your brothers. I feel no shame in what I did. It's obvious he lives in the shadow of you and the rest of the family. He's treated like a second-class citizen in his own home. That's enough weight on his shoulders." She held up a hand. "And before you go off on me, that's exactly why I asked him to come along. It's been three years. I think he deserves some time for himself. Some small freedom to get out into the world again."

"Why, so he can foul up another kingdom?"

"He's not going alone. I promise to keep a close eye on him." She sighed and stood back up, smoothening out her skirts. "How do you ever expect him to do better if he isn't given a chance? Perhaps while he's gone, the rest of you will reevaluate his worth to this family." Before he could retort, she swiftly moved back into the bedroom.

The king shook his head. He and Charlotte would never see eye to eye on the subject of Hans, and today it was certainly not worth another argument. No longer interested in the paper, he set it aside and retrieved the delivered message from before. He pulled out the parchment inside and his eyebrows furrowed after reading halfway down the page. News from his agents abroad did not bode well, and it left an immensely sour feeling in his gut. Glancing back over, he watched his beloved and her maids scurry about. While the queen did keep herself somewhat up-to-date with the foreign affairs of the realm, there were certain sources that she didn't have access to, and she relied on him for the grittier news of their neighbors. Looking back at the missive in his hands, he felt himself torn, trying to decide what he should tell her—_if_—he should tell her. The information could be important. Or, he could be overreacting about nothing. It wouldn't make much difference. Trying to make a convincing argument at the eleventh hour was never an easy nor successful task.

He could hear laughing, and his gaze went back over towards her. The younger maids were giggling madly while holding up some of the queen's more formal wear, and Charlotte had a beaming smile across her face. She always did have a much better relationship with the staff. Even now as the queen of the land, she was still far more laid back with her closer maids than he would ever be with his personal staff. He told himself it was a product of their environment and upbringing. Their different natures didn't bother him. So long as she was comfortable being friendly with her servants, he wouldn't complain. Her happiness was his happiness.

And her attendance at the Fall Harvest Festival was something she had discussed with him extensively, and with immense enthusiasm.

It still didn't make his predicament any easier.

Rising from the armchair, he tossed the missive down onto the seat and moved to lean against the doorframe. "….Lottie?"

"What is it now?" She asked, glancing at him.

"C'mere…" he said, beckoning her with a wiggle of his index finger.

"Frederick, I'm busy…" She sighed and stalked back to the doorway. "What?"

Gently taking her hands, he led her off to the side and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace. He could feel her hands slide up his chest and wrap around the back of his neck and he smiled weakly to himself. At least, when she was here in his arms, there was nothing to worry about.

"Frederick?" She asked softly, glancing up at him. "What is it? What's bothering you?"

"…Nothing…" He sighed and rest his head atop hers. "I just…need a moment with you." He didn't offer any further explanation, only held her closer. With his gaze over her, he could see the missive on the chair. The grim headline echoed in his mind, and he felt at a loss of words how to explain his worries to her. He closed his eyes and rubbed his hands up and down her back, hoping her mere presence would shake his fears. Instead, the very thought of her departing in the morning amplified them. It felt like he could still read the harrowing title as if he were staring right at it.

_ **Alvanian military camp construction near northern Rheland border. Soldiers to assemble in upcoming weeks.** _

* * *

Frederick woke the next morning to the sun shining right through the narrow gap in the curtains and onto his face. His hand quickly emerged from under the bedsheets to block the light in his eyes and he then let out an exhausted sigh. He barely slept at all that night. Most of his dreams involved some unpleasant scenario based on the information from his missive. His discussions about it with Charlotte before bed didn't help any. Despite his begging and his reasoning against going, she still insisted on venturing to Rheland for the festival. And holding Charlotte in his arms while she slept didn't even help him fall into a calmer, restful cycle.

He rolled over and sprawled out into the other side of the bed, eager to cozy up to her while it was still early enough. Only, instead of his arms and legs bumping into and then tangling with his wife's, they hit the mattress and empty pillow.

That certainly got his attention, and he blinked away some exhaustion to glance to his right. Charlotte wasn't there, and he instantly went into a panic. Did he oversleep? What if she had already left for Rheland? He shifted his hand to rub over the sheets where Charlotte would lay and found them still warm. Movement then caught his eye across the room—a shadow on the wall behind the arched changing screen. Frederick smiled slightly. She was definitely still here.

Quietly, he slipped out of bed and tied on his dressing gown before sneaking over to the changing screen. There she was in just her pantaloons and a loose corset. Her back was to him, and her hands were pulled to her back as she struggled to tie the laces of her corset tight. He eagerly came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, his face burying into the side of her neck.

"You snuck away from me…" he whispered to her, placing a few kisses onto her skin.

She gasped at his surprise embrace and then immediately settled into his hold. "Good morning," she smiled and tilted her head to the side to give him better access.

"No Agatha today?"

The queen shook her head, "I didn't want her coming in here, not with your bare body practically on display," she said in a teasing tone, "the bedsheets were barely covering you up when I rose."

He only shrugged. "You know, you nearly gave me a panic attack when I woke up without you. You've never been one to sneak off so early."

She managed to turn around to face him and wrap her arms around his shoulders, "I didn't want to wake you. You looked exhausted."

"I was. I _am—"_

"Well, I'm sorry I disturbed you." She offered him a weak smile, "I only knew if we woke up together, neither of us would have the ambition to get up."

He flashed a devious grin, "You're not wrong there. And you know…" he leaned his forehead onto hers, "it's still early…. say I carry you back off to bed for another rou—"

Charlotte instantly blushed and one of her hands came up to cover his mouth. "aha…I don't think so."

"And why not? We did spend a good portion of the night enjoying various…intimate activities—"

"-That was all _your_ idea…"

"—Judging by the constant moaning and purring of my name, you took great pleasure in it. So, what's one more, hmm? This is my last chance to lay with you for well over a month. You can't blame me for desiring you as I do."

"You just want to keep me from leaving." She pointed out. "It's only delaying the inevitable."

His eyes searched hers as his face shifted into a sad frown, "I miss you already, and you haven't even left. I don't know how I'll function without you."

Charlotte pushed her lips up against his for a brief kiss, "You're a strong man. I'm sure you'll manage."

"But how will I sleep at night without your warmth?"

"Find an extra blanket?" She gave a teasing smile.

"A blanket won't satisfy the throbbing of my loins."

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes, "there shouldn't even be throbbing if I'm not here."

"You can't stop me thinking of you every night, hoping you're safe and alright, wishing you were here…" he trailed off and gave her a pointed look, "don't tell me you won't be doing the same. _Feeling_the same…"

"I… I will." She admitted. "I'll miss you terribly. But that doesn't mean I won't enjoy my time away. Just think," she tapped his nose, "It'll only make our reunion that much sweeter."

"It can be even sweeter if you remained by my side."

"Frederick." She said a lot sterner than before, "We've been through this. You will not talk me out of this trip." She gently pushed him back and then turned around. "Now be a darling and tie my laces for me?"

He sighed and obeyed. "it's not just the lack of intimacy I worry about, you know. On the greater scale of things, that's hardly important." His eyes went down to the corset laces as his hands worked, "The business with Alvania bothers me. I still can't shake the feeling that something is very wrong."

"Because they've built another camp? What difference does it make?" Charlotte asked and squirmed when he tugged too tightly on the laces. "You are in command of the strongest navy of the realm. Do our allies feel threatened when you gather your vast fleet around one or two of our islands? Of course, they don't."

"The difference, my darling, is that we are a kingdom surrounded by sea. Alvania is land-based, and it can't be a coincidence that these military establishments are so close to their borders. And everyone knows the relationship between Alvania and Rheland had soured ever since Beker became Chancellor."

"Has he done anything recently to suggest ill will towards Rheland?"

Frederick shrugged. "Not outwardly…" he finished tying her corset and dropped his arms back to his sides, "but that doesn't mean he isn't up to something."

"I'm sure King Wilhelm is keeping a close eye on his neighbor. If something foul were afoot, the festival would have been postponed or canceled. And though they won't be attending as far as I know, Alvania was still invited to the festival. King Wilhelm is extending a hand of friendship in spite of relations." She replied and reached for her petticoat. "Are you going to stand there in your robe all day or are you going to get dressed?"

Frederick sighed and walked off to his wardrobe. "That won't stop me from being concerned."

Charlotte tied her undergarment strings around her waist. "You can't let fear take over your every action, my love."

"My only fear is that something will befall you during your stay."

Charlotte raised her brow curiously. "Befall me? Just me?" She pulled on her blouse and started buttoning it closed. "I'm not going alone, you know. What about Hans?"

"Well, if he's along, there _definitely_ will be trouble. Unlucky brother and all." He snorted as he tugged on and fastened his trousers. "Though he has enough decent skill to take care of himself should the need arise."

"Oh, and I can't?" She paused in her dressing to peer around the changing screen.

Frederick couldn't help but chuckle. "Somehow, I doubt your father or brother bothered to teach you how to engage in combat."

Charlotte scoffed and fastened her bodice closed and stepped back out from behind the screen to help her husband. "I may be sweet, but I'm tougher than I look." When she approached him, he stopped buttoning his shirt and raised his hands to run them gently through her long tresses. She could see the sad look of desperation across his features, "look at you…" she sighed and finished closing up his shirt front and the buttons on his sleeves. "You're a mess…"

"Lottie…" He exhaled and brought a hand up to cup her cheek, "Please…. I'll never forgive myself if something were to happen to you. You are my wife, and also my queen. Your safety is paramount, not just for my own sanity, but for the sake of our kingdom."

"And by visiting foreign lands, I am forever strengthening the bonds between our friends." She traced her fingers along his shadowy beard. "That's important, too."

He searched her eyes, studied her face, hoping for a miraculous sign that she would relent but instead only saw strength and determination. "Promise you'll write to me? it'll…" he sighed sadly, "It'll be a long month without you."

Charlotte nodded. "I promise. I absolutely promise." Standing on her tippy toes, she gave him a lingering kiss. "I'll send something at least once a week."

Frederick nodded and pulled her closer. "And… should it seem that Beker is up to no good—"

"—Hans and I will leave at the first sign of trouble. We will look after each other. I promise." She tried to give her husband a reassuring smile. "Be strong, and don't fret. Everything will be just fine…"


	3. Welcome to Rheland

Calm waters and sunny skies made the three-day journey between the Southern Isles and Rheland a smooth one. The ship's crew were all in high spirits and enjoying the professional, yet laid-back atmosphere the queen's solo presence offered compared to the times she was joined by the king. Prince Hans on board didn't faze the men either. He either spent most of his time on deck enjoying the ocean breeze or below in his small cabin or with the queen in hers.

"I know I've said this several times now but thank you for letting me come along." Hans said as he lounged in Charlotte's state room. He had his feet propped up on a trunk and he fiddled mindlessly with a button on his sleeve. "I'm sure it wasn't easy to grant me passage."

"You make it sound like it was such a chore." Charlotte glanced up from the book she was reading at her desk. "All I did was write to King Wilhelm."

Hans raised a curious brow. "What, no coming to blows with Freddy? No lasting spats, swinging arms and refusals of future conversation?" he paused and glanced upwards, pondering what he just said, "or… whatever marital arguments are like…?"

Charlotte only laughed and leaned back in her chair. "No? He may be the king, but he does not control me. It was _my_ decision to free you. And it was _my_ decision alone to request your invitation." She straightened up and placed a page marker in her book. "Was Frederick happy with me? Not in the slightest. And we had our feuds. Some more heated than others-"

"And he let you win?"

She raised her brow. "Are you saying I cannot prevail in a battle of wit and words against my own husband?"

"I—no…" Hans stopped to rethink his answer. "Just… he's used to getting his own way all the time. Eldest brother and all."

"I can assure you, he does not. Neither of us would be here if he had the final say in _everything_."

Hans couldn't help but smile slightly. "So… are you looking forward to getting away from Freddy for a while?" A scoff escaped his lips before he could stop himself, "I know I am."

_Him and the other eleven…_

"I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to getting away from Frederick…" Charlotte answered thoughtfully, "he is my husband and I love him. I'll miss him," she smiled with a bit of a twinkle in her eye, "though… I do think I'll enjoy getting a bed all to myself again. He does tend to hog most of it. And the blankets," she couldn't resist a slight giggle, "and my—"

"—O-okay, I get it." Hans shuddered and averted his eyes from her for a moment, trying to shake off the unpleasant images that were trying to sneak into his mind. "But… you know, his greediness doesn't surprise me. He does have a bit of a superiority complex."

"I think your entire family suffers from that."

Hans shrugged. "Well… it clearly doesn't bother you since you married one of us."

"Yes well… no family is perfect. Their mistreatment of you bothers me very much." Charlotte replied and turned in her seat to face him better. "I'm appalled at some of the things your brothers get away with."

"They're roughhousing." Hans answered with a nonchalant shrug. "It's what all brothers do."

"Hans, I have brothers as well, and I can assure you, they are nothing like yours."

_Well… it helps when you're not treated like the devil incarnate in your own home…_ Hans thought to himself. _Where the very nature of your existence was at the expense of someone else. Where you're scrutinized for every little thing you do…_. His mental list of grievances could go on and on, but he wasn't really in the mood to dwell on it too intensely. This was his chance to get away from his brothers. He couldn't even recall the last time that chance came up. Not even his travel to Arendelle for Queen Elsa's coronation granted him true freedom from his family. As the official representative of his father, he had the weight of the diplomatic mission on his shoulders. That offered him little time to truly kick back and relax.

_Arendelle…._ Hans sighed. Who would have thought that three days could lead to just over three years of absolute torture—physically, mentally, and emotionally. He was certain that there were still marks on his body somewhere that would never truly fade out after dealing with multiple rounds of punishments. Though perhaps the biggest slap in the face came from Queen Elsa herself when she penned her extremely damning letter about his actions and character—as if _he_ were the one who started that whole winter mess. _He_ didn't create the eternal winter. _He_ didn't try to kill off two of Duke Spencer's bodyguards on the North Mountain. _He _didn't turn the fjords into a frozen wasteland and trap every foreign visitor in the kingdom. Yet… _he_ was portrayed as the sole perpetrator, for what? Caring for the Arendelle citizens? Trying to save the kingdom? And—

"Hans!" Charlotte's voice and the sudden snapping of her fingers near his face yanked him from his thoughts. "Are you going to answer me or not?"

His cheeks reddened slightly, and he offered a sheepish expression in return, "sorry. My uh… mind wandered. What was the question?"

"What are your plans for your stay?"

Hans was confused by the question. "Aren't I supposed to follow you around like a lost puppy? Y'know… so you could be _keeping an eye on me_? That's what you seemed to tell Freddy anyway."

"Hans." Charlotte said with a sigh and stood up from her seat. "I'm not here to be your sitter. Yes, you made grievous errors in Arendelle, but that was three years ago. I trust by now, all of the lectures and punishments have sunken in, that your actions are not to be repeated again." When he didn't answer right away, she put her hands on her hips and stared him down. "Well?"

Hans swallowed. "Yes. Y-you have my word. I won't do anything to embarrass you or the family."

"Then I grant you the relative freedom to do as you wish during your stay. You don't have to accompany me to every engagement I attend if you don't want to. And if all you desire is sit in your bedchamber or out in the castle gardens, so be it." She replied. "Just keep in the back of your mind that as your queen, I still have the final say in your comfort levels here, and everything you do will reflect back on me, and word will reach your elder brother eventually. So…"

Hans let out a sigh and looked up at her. He already promised to behave. What more could she possibly offer?

"…let's consider this trip a test, shall we?" Charlotte continued, "Perhaps if your family can see that you've turned a new leaf, they might make similar efforts in your regard."

…_oh god…_ Hans tried so hard not to snort rudely. "Charlotte, I think you underestimate the hatred my brothers have for me. I could turn myself around enough for two lifetimes and they would still treat me like a squashed bug under their boots."

"Don't you want them to change?" She asked.

"Well, sure. I guess." Hans shrugged. He never really gave the notion that much serious thought before. "It would be nice. But to be honest, it'll take everything short of a divine miracle." He replied without much enthusiasm. "Doing something just for them doesn't seem worth the effort. We're talking what, twenty five years of abuse and neglect? It's not something I can just sweep under the rug once they start being nice to me."

"Then don't do it for them, Hans. Do it for yourself. Let the change happen because _you_ wish it. You'll be away from your toxic environment for a good month. Find your strengths again. Find your passion—" she turned her head towards the window as the ship's bell could be heard. They had arrived at port. "Just use your time wisely. That's all I'm suggesting."

* * *

With the royal vessel officially docked, Hans and Charlotte disembarked to be greeted by King Wilhelm's youngest child, sixteen-year-old Princess Josephine and her guarded escort. With so many visitors arriving around the same time, the royal family divided up to greet and bring everyone back to the castle. After pleasantries were exchanged, Josephine led the queen and prince to her waiting carriage.

With Oskberg located in the central region of Rheland, it took over an hour for the royals to reach their destination. Charlotte and Josephine spent a good portion of the ride getting to know each other and conversing about the sea voyage and the upcoming festival events. Hans, however, remained quiet, only speaking when directly spoken to. When the women's conversation drifted towards less interesting topics for him, he decided to gaze out the window and take in the scenery for a while.

"You're awfully quiet, Prince Hans."

Princess Josephine's higher pitched voice pulled him back to the present and he glanced over at her. "I'm sorry, Milady." He replied politely and offered her an apologetic look. "I suppose, I'm just a little weary from the voyage."

Josephine's eyes grew wider as she latched onto a conversation with him, "Really? How long was it?"

"Three days," he replied.

"Oh my!" She gasped, placing her hands against her chest to emphasize her shock.

Hans was slightly taken aback by her overly dramatic reactions to most of his responses throughout their rather awkward conversation—at least, it felt awkward to _him_. And he tried so hard not to show discomfort and groan when he noticed how her cheeks flushed when her brown eyes locked with his green ones. On top of that, she kept running her fingers through her curly brown hair. He recognized that maneuver, one the fairer sex always seemed to do when in the company of men that they found appealing.

…_Lord, please don't let this girl try flirting with me. I will lock myself in my chambers all month if I have to…._

Glancing over to his sister-in-law, he only saw slight amusement on the queen's face. His heart sank. Here, he was hoping Charlotte wouldn't prey on his discomfort. Frederick wasn't supposed to rub off on her that way. But then her hand reached to the side and pat his and he felt marginally better.

The remainder of the carriage ride seemed to drag on for Hans, and he was never more thankful to see the large magnificent castle looming over the city of Oskberg. Once inside the castle gates, the carriage crossed the large cobblestone courtyard and stopped before the steps leading up to the castle. Queen Helene stood on the bottom step and offered the official welcomes to Rheland. They didn't remain outside for long. After the exchanging of pleasantries, she ushered her guests inside so they could unpack, relax and freshen up some before dinner later that evening.

When Hans made it to his assigned bedroom after seeing Queen Charlotte to hers, he was surprised to find one of the castle's menservants already there and eager to help get him settled. It worked out for the prince. He didn't bring a personal servant from home—he never had anyone assigned to him, the pitfalls of being the thirteenth-scoundrel-member of the family—at least here he wouldn't have to unpack everything all by himself. Once his luggage arrived, the servant got to work, and Hans took the opportunity to get a better look at his lodging. The room itself was a decent size—in fact, it seemed larger than his own bedroom. Everything from the walls to furniture to the lighting made the space warm, inviting and cozy. Yes, he would definitely enjoy his time here.

The sun peeked out from behind the clouds and shone right in from the balcony window, garnering the prince's attention. He started to cross the room, sidestepping the rushing manservant to glance outside. He had a garden view—a square outdoor space surrounded by castle walls on all sides. Perfectly trimmed trees, hedges, an abundance of flowers all surrounded by cobblestone pathways. In the center of the garden was a large round fountain. A very picturesque scene. Hans had been in the castle for maybe an hour at most now and he was already wishing he didn't have to go back home. Between the warm atmosphere, the scenery, the very pleasant nature of their hosts, Hans was certain that the kingdom of Rheland was absolutely perfect. What a stark contrast to the cold grey stone castle of the Southern Isles and its cruel residents. A place that lacked any sort of color or excitement—at least from his perspective. With his castle—and by extension the entire kingdom surrounded by sea-- he felt extremely isolated, and with his recent punishments, far more alone than he had ever been. But not here. He recalled on the carriage ride here that there were fields that butted up against rich farms and thick forests, with mountain ranges in the distance. The land itself seemed to extend on as far as the eye could see. Even the villages they passed through were humble and lively.

With a smile on his face, Hans stepped out onto the balcony and leaned against the railing. _Charlotte said I didn't have to follow her everywhere. Which works wonders for me. I think I'd love to spend an afternoon or two just relaxing outside—_

"Prince Hans?"

The unfamiliar voice startled Hans, and he turned around to scan the room for the source. In the doorway was a tall man with short curly brown hair and dressed in a sharp belted navy tunic and matching pants. He was leaning casually against the door frame as if greeting a longtime friend instead of a stranger.

"Hello." Hans said with a raised brow, and he slowly approached the newcomer. "Have we met?"

"No." The man offered a soft smile and straightened up. "But I feel like I've known you extensively over the last thirty minutes."

Hans opened his mouth to respond but nothing could quite come out. He had too few pieces that didn't fall into place.

"I'm sorry?" Hans scratched his cheek. "Could you—"

"Oh of course, how awkward of me." He stepped into the room and offered his hand. "Crowned Prince Oscar. Welcome to Rheland! On behalf of my father, King Wilhelm, I do hope you'll enjoy your stay."

Hans immediately bowed his head in respect and eagerly grasped the man's hand for a firm handshake. "Thank you. It's an honor and a pleasure to be here for the festival." He made sure to give props when it was due. As the crowned prince, this man outranked him in every possibly way just short of being a monarch, and after his last visit to a foreign kingdom, he was determined this time not to foul anything up.

Oscar nodded and gestured to the armchairs by the fireplace. "May I?"

"Oh! Yes, of course." Hans nodded. The two men walked over and sat down. "You uh… said you knew me extensively?" Of all of the reactions Oscar could have given him, he didn't expect laughter. "Um, what's so funny?"

Oscar only shook his head and held up a hand to give himself a moment to regain his composure. Then, leaning back in the chair he gave the foreign prince an amused look. "My sister, Princess Josephine. Ever since mother escorted you and Queen Charlotte to your rooms, she's grabbed me aside and talked my ear off about the handsome stranger she shared a carriage ride with—"

Now it was Hans' turn to laugh, though he tried not to make a spectacle about it. "But…," clearing his throat, he continued, "I… we only engaged in one short meaningless conversation—"

"And that's all she needed to convince herself you're a walking god among men." Oscar's mouth formed into a smirk. "She's actually begged me to come here and speak with you, just to get information to relay back to her. I'll gladly admit I've not come to spy for her, I just wanted to see you for myself."

"Trust me, I'm no god. Far fro—" he paused, replaying Oscar's words back in his head. Something didn't sit well with him. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying the princess is sixteen and you're the first strikingly handsome—" he paused, seeing Hans' cheeks flush, "—her words, not mine—the first foreign prince to share close quarters with her."

Hans wasn't quite believing this, and he fought to keep his face from reddening further. "I can't be the first foreigner she's ever seen."

"No, but you're the first man to not be my father's age. Or older." Oscar leaned forward more onto his legs and stared Hans down sternly. "She seems a bit smitten with you. Josephine has lived a very…" he waved one of his hands as he tried to form the right words, "…very sheltered life. This is really her first chance to mingle with outsiders. I suppose, as her older brother, I want to make sure that she won't be initiating—"

"Stop. Please." Hans interrupted with a raising of his hand. "Before you go any further and make this any more awkward…" he sat up straighter in his seat, "I don't have any interest in your sister other than polite conversation about the kingdom or the festival. I'm just here to get away from my family for a month, and to take in some culture. That's all."

"Well then, that's quite a relief to hear." Oscar leaned back again and clasped his hands over his lap. "You've got quite the reputation, and I was beginning to worry when I heard you were here."

Hans' brow furrowed and he could feel his heart sinking, and he had to avert his gaze away. So, this Prince Oscar, and possibly the rest of the royal family, knew about his tremendous fall from grace. That would mean that he would have to be extra careful about his movements and what he did during his stay.

_But…if they knew about what happened—what I did in Arendelle—why would they let me come in the first place? I tried to kill a queen…for various reasons…. No sane monarch would let someone like me enter their realm with that record on my name. So, what's going on?_

He was almost afraid to ask but knowing the whole truth about what being in this kingdom would entail was important to him. After all, one wrong move and Frederick would hear about it, and Hans knew he'd never see the light of day again. "What reputation?"

"Why, your skill for bewitching and stealing the hearts of delightful fair maidens."

_W-what?_ Hans was stunned. Of all possible things, how did that trait get attached to his name? He certainly didn't make a name for himself in that regard back home, or in any regard at all. If he did, it certainly wouldn't be for sexual prowess. Anyone who's ever attended a Southern Isles ball would know he couldn't keep a girl's interest for more than fifteen minutes. On the flip side, he's only ever entered a brothel once, and that was really a scheme orchestrated by his brothers to humiliate him. Wounded pride aside, nothing came of it. He's certainly never had romantic or intimate relations with the fairer sex—

Then it hit him all at once. There could only have been one event witnessed by several different kingdoms to grant him such a ridiculous reputation.

"You mean… with Princess Anna?"

Oscar's smile turned more into a smirk. "You did seduce the fair princess of Arendelle in a matter of hours _and_ get her to accept your hand in marriage."

"I wouldn't call it seduction."

"Oh?" Oscar leaned forward again with interest. "And how would you phrase it, hmm?"

"I'd say the attraction was mutual." Hans tried to play it cool and merely shrug it off, but that uneasy feeling was coming back. _Why can't I go somewhere where I can escape my mistakes for a short while? Why must everything pull me back to Arendelle somehow?_

"It must have been some attraction." Oscar stood and began pacing in front of the fireplace. "What about your proposal?"

Hans' brows furrowed once more. "What about it?"

"Is it still in effect? Are their wedding bells in your future?"

Now it was Hans' turn to rise to his feet and cross his arms. He was starting to not like this crowned prince. "With all due respect, the status of my relationship with Princess Anna of Arendelle is none of your concern."

"On the contrary, Hans, Princess Anna is very much my concern." Oscar replied. "I'd like to pursue her, but I'll back off if she's already been spoken for."

This surprised Hans. In fact, this entire conversation with the crowned prince was one awkward topic after another. "Just how much do you know about her?"

"I've visited Arendelle fairly recently. Anna and I worked closely together on a number of engagements." Oscar replied with a bit of smugness in his voice. "Very closely."

And now he knew why he had a lousy feeling about this man. Not that Prince Oscar was doing anything wrong. Princess Anna truly was—is—a rather eye-catching princess and her position as the crowned princess of Arendelle would attract plenty of suitors, Oscar included.

_Princess Anna of Arendelle_…. Hans sighed quietly. _God, she was something else_….

Anna wasn't the first girl Hans felt an attraction to. Ever since he turned eighteen, he had attended countless balls held in honor of at least one of his brothers—between marking their official coming of age, or because the king really wanted them married. Usually, there was one young woman that Hans found himself fancying. And if he was lucky that evening, he even managed a waltz with her before his relatives came along and practically seduced her right from his arms. Why should a lady settle for the thirteenth in line with little extraordinary talent when stronger, suave men higher up on the pecking order were available? But not Anna. She was the first one—the _only _one—to find him breathtaking; interesting; desirable.

She was the one to throw everything off-kilter. One thing he didn't anticipate was falling hard for the kingdom's crown princess. Their tumbling about in that shallow rowboat was pure accidental, but that was the best accident that could ever have happened to him. Of course, he was a nervous wreck, barely even managing to get coherent sentences out of his mouth—he even stumbled over saying his own name. But she stumbled, too. She called him gorgeous, and that one phrase of hers, that single moment, burned bright in his memory.

"Hans?" Oscar's voice broke the younger prince from his thoughts. "you didn't answer my question."

_What was the question?_ Hans thought to himself, replaying the conversation in his head until he caught up. _Right. Our relationship. _"Well, it's a non-issue. Princess Anna and I are no longer engaged. It was called off years ago."

_Well, that's not entirely true. The engagement was never formally disbanded, but then again it was never formally accepted either. Queen Elsa never gave her true blessing, only a misguided begging during her attempted flight. She didn't really want me to marry Anna in the first place, just to be her caretaker since she was running away. And after the thaw, everyone saw Anna knock me into the fjord. Combine that with my father's intensive punishments and it seemed logical that Anna and I would never meet again._

"That works well for me." Oscar mused. "Anna is a lovely woman. I just hope things won't become uncomfortable for you."

Hans shook his head. "Why would it?" He wished the crown prince would just get to the point instead of keeping him hanging.

"She's coming to the festival." Oscar replied simply. "Surely you knew that."

"W-what?" This was definitely an unexpected turn of events. How did he not predict something like this would happen? An interkingdom even? Surely _someone_ from Arendelle would come.

Hans began to internally panic. He wasn't prepared nor ready to see Anna again. What would he say? What would _she_ say? Or do? Would she strike at him at her first opportunity? Would she get a glimpse of him and try avoiding him as much as possible? He could almost feel phantom pain in his nose from where she punched him years ago. That's one experience he didn't want to have repeated.

"…is she here now?" Hans asked while trying to keep his nerves in check.

"Not yet, but she'll possibly dock later this evening. I plan on using my time wisely over the next few weeks. Especially since the ice queen won't be leering around corners attempting to spy on us." Oscar continued, paying little to no attention to Hans' reaction, and growing discomfort. "Though, since she's seemed to fancy you for a time and you two have had the chance to get to know each other—"

_Not really…_ Hans thought to himself. _Our time was cut short thanks to her sister's freak winter accident…_

"—I was hoping you could give me some advice."

"You want me to help you court my former fiancée?"

"You said there was nothing between you anymore?" Oscar responded, crossing his arms over his chest, "Or is that not true."

"Trust me. Anna and I are done." Hans said with a sigh. Saying it hurt more than he anticipated it would, "it just seems like an odd request. You can't charm her on your own?"

"Oh absolutely, I can." Oscar replied with an arrogant air of confidence. "I just want to make sure my efforts prove successful. You had her wrapped around your finger in what, two-three hours?"

"Again, I didn't manipulate her." Hans replied dryly. "Look. You want my advice? Just be honest and be yourself. Oh, and don't get her mad. She's petite, but she's got a terribly strong swinging arm, and she won't hesitate to break your face if provoked."

* * *

Hans found little chance to relax once Prince Oscar left. All he could think about was how disastrous this little vacation of his would become. And he became furious with himself for not inquiring about the guest list ahead of time. While he didn't plan on attending _every_ outing with Charlotte, he did intend on seeing the beauty of this new kingdom, but now all that seemed desirable was to lock himself away in his room—to hide from Princess Anna, and by minor extension, Princess Josephine, if the young princess tried to act on her developing feelings. But, if all he was going do to while in Rheland was sit around in his room, he could have just stayed home.

Attending dinner that evening was nerve-wracking at first, at least until he realized that Princess Anna had not yet arrived. Knowing she wouldn't reach the kingdom until much later, he was able to relax significantly and actually enjoy the meal. The food was delicious, as he anticipated, and it only further cemented his belief that Rheland was indeed perfect. Representatives from Vallacia, Osterheim, Malengrad and Maldonia were also present, and he welcomed conversation about their own kingdoms. At least the topics weren't about him and his failures.

Solace came that night after everyone parted ways, and he returned to his bedroom. His sleep attire was already laid out on his bed, but he wasn't ready to turn in quite yet. Some fresh night air was calling to him, and he moved over to the balcony doors, opening them and stepping outside. The air was cooler than he anticipated but it felt good against his face. Casually, he leaned on the railing and looked down at the gardens below. Everything was calm and quiet, the only sounds coming from the fountain. With a pleasant smile on his face, he closed his eyes and let the soft sound of trickling water fill him with a sense of peace.

Then he heard voices from down below, and the serenity was ruined. With a huff, Hans opened his eyes and glanced downward to see who was unknowingly intruding on his meditation. On the far side of the garden was Prince Oscar. Naturally, it would be the crowned prince to inadvertently ruin yet another part of his first day here. But Oscar wasn't alone. There was another voice coming through the shadows. Hans was curious, and he waited for the prince to approach one of the lamp posts so he could get a better look. Whoever it was, it sounded like a woman. His sister, Princess Josephine perhaps?

_Oh no. No, no, __**no!**_ Hans' heart sank yet again. The moment he was dreading was finally here.

It was Princess Anna of Arendelle. She had arrived.

Part of him wanted to turn tail and bolt back into his bedroom. He didn't want to see Anna or even think of her. Doing so would remind him of his failures, of the past he could never escape from.

The other part of him wanted to observe Prince Oscar and his interactions with the princess. The man came to him for advice earlier. Hans hoped that meant he was already having issues with Anna. The spy in him won out. Turning around briefly, he closed the heavy drapes in his room to minimize the light coming from his vantage point. The last thing he needed was for Anna to spot him.

Hans watched the pair walk about the garden paths for several minutes now, and he was starting to regret his choices. They only appeared to be talking, though he was too high up from his third floor balcony to hear what was said. And it was too dark to truly scrutinize their expressions. He could only see that she was hanging on his arm as they walked with a smile on her face. She still donned her traveling cloak over her dress, so she must have _just_ arrived.

_God, this guy doesn't waste any time, does he? She must be tired from the travel. Just let her go to bed._

A thought came to him then. This entire garden was surrounded by guest rooms. Would she be in one of these? Would they eventually spot each other from their respective balconies? Or even during strolls among the foliage down below?

_Get a grip…._ Hans tried to reassure himself. _You can't avoid her forever. And… maybe a reunion won't be so bad. Just don't provoke her. Be polite, and let her know you mean her no ill will, no harm—_

Oscar and Anna had moved more into the light as they sat on the rim of the fountain together, and the visual made Hans' breath hitch.

_My god… she's beautiful…_

When she sat down, her cloak had opened up and he could see more of her silhouette from the light colored dress she wore, with her matching flats peeking out from under her skirts. What struck him hard was her hair. Gone were the youthful looking plaits or the formal updo he was familiar with. It was down, seeming to flow freely down her back. This was incredibly new for him, and he couldn't help but stare. Her copper tresses had a slight natural wave to them, and he wished she didn't have her cloak. The hood behind her was hiding the rest of her lovely hair, and he desperately wanted to see how long it was.

He could hear her giggle, and it instantly made him flashback to three years prior, when he and the princess roamed freely around her castle grounds. Back at a time when her smiles and laughter, her immense interest and infatuation were directed solely to him. She was beautiful to him then, too. She radiated pure innocence and wonder, as if meeting him was her first chance of really seeing what the world had to offer—which he later found out was exactly the case. She was a bit naïve too, but it was balanced out with fiery determination, and she was so very different than any other girl he had met. She was special, and for that brief time, she was his.

But he blew it. She wasn't his anymore, and he had given Prince Oscar his blessing to woo her. As he watched them converse, he felt more and more depressed. That could have been him down there with her. Talking, laughing, enjoying each other's company as friends—or maybe even lovers. He swallowed hard when Oscar reached over to place his hand over her petite one. The red on her cheeks wasn't from his flattery. And he wasn't the one being lost in the brightness of her smile.

This wasn't Hans' first experience with jealousy, but watching the pair down below brought on the strongest wave of envy he's ever felt in his entire life.

_Barely in this kingdom for one day and I've already made a terrible mistake…._


	4. The Fall Harvest Festival-- Part 1

Despite the fact that she went to bed at after midnight, Anna woke the next morning with a full burst of energy, and she was well prepared to put it to good use. She had left the balcony doors open all night, and the morning breeze played with her drapes. The outside air felt wonderful to cool down the bedroom.

With a beaming smile on her face, she sat up in bed and stretched. Her first full day to spend in this new kingdom. And there wouldn't be a moment wasted.

And then her stomach growled, and her hand went to cover it. Her later arrival the night before forced her to miss dinner, and her small meal on her vessel only held her over so far. If she hurried, there was a good chance she could make it in time for breakfast.

As she bound from her bed and gathered her clothes, she mentally went over her plans for the day. She had no festival engagements yet. Per her promise to Elsa, she was going to meet with the Rheland ambassador, but that was for the following day. All she had cemented was a personal tour of the city of Oskberg, with Prince Oscar as her guide.

By the time she made it into the informal dining room for breakfast, there were only a few guests dining. The ambassador from Armensgrad being one of them, having just arrived early that morning. Their kingdom's rocky relation with Arendelle made breakfast between him and Anna a tad uncomfortable, at least at first. It wasn't long before the two of them were the only ones left in the dining room, and the awkward silence began to drive Anna crazy. Taking a risk, she initiated polite conversation with the man, and discovered he was a rather pleasant individual. She made sure to keep their subjects about themselves and not so much their kingdoms, especially not about her sister, Elsa. She remembered back during the coronation how the other representative from Armensgrad was particularly vindictive towards the queen, and she wasn't sure where this man's opinions stood. Nevertheless, by the time the meal was over, she was surprised when Sir Alsby asked to meet with her to chat again. The thought excited her, and she eagerly agreed. Perhaps there was a chance for Arendelle to regain a lost ally.

When she left the dining room, she was surprised that she hadn't run into Oscar yet. Last night he expressed so much eagerness to show her around the city that she half expected to see him camped outside her bedroom, or to suddenly appear while she was eating.

_Well, he's not here yet, so I think I'll enjoy some time to myself. Maybe I'll compose a letter to Elsa and let her know I arrived safely._

One quick detour back to her room for some supplies and she was back in the corridor, heading for the stairwell leading to the enclosed garden. Since it was dark when she arrived, she didn't get much opportunity to see much of the outdoor landscape. One of her favorite pastimes back home was sitting in the south garden—one her mother designed—she would sit there for hours reading books and watching the ducks and their ducklings roaming and swimming about in the ponds.

A smile began to form across her face as she made it to the bottom of the stairs. The door leading outside was just ahead. She couldn't wait to enjoy the fresh air while being surrounded by colorful autumn blooms. Eagerly, she reached for the doorknob and just as her fingers grasped the latch, it immediately turned, and the door swung open from the outside. Before she could react further, the person entering knocked right into her, sending her backwards onto the floor, her supplies scattering around her.

"H-Hey!" Anna gasped as she hit the stone floor. Luckily, she managed to splay her arms out to soften her landing. She sat for a moment with her gaze at the floor to let the shock of her fall wear off.

"O-oh! I'm, I'm so sorry. Are you hur—" There was a gasp and an uncomfortable pause, "A-Anna?"

"No…" She sighed, "I'm okay…" She started to move to get up and then suddenly froze in place. That voice; it was familiar. Too familiar. _It couldn't be…._ Her eyes moved slowly, starting with the black boots about a foot away. Then, they made their way up until her blue eyes locked with green ones.

And then her world froze.

_H-Hans?!_

Shock quickly morphed into anger. Of all the people she could have rammed into, why did it have to be _him_? Her hands flexed in and out of fists as she took in his appearance. He looked almost exactly as he did when she saw him last—same auburn hair cut, perfectly trimmed sideburns framing an otherwise clean-shaven face. He even dressed similarly, though his ensemble lacked any embroidery representing his home kingdom. The chocolate brown tailcoat was rather plain, and his waistcoat and shirt were different neutral, earthy tones, only standing out with the black cravat around his neck. There was a large notebook in his hands clutched tightly to his chest as if he was using it as an actual shield.

But his eyes…. Those widened green eyes. She recognized and hated them all the same. Those same, alarmed, worried ones that stared her down on that fateful morning three years ago. Those eyes that she became lost in as she took in the handsome stranger for the first time; that shined kindness, caring, and affection; that made her feel safe and secure when she gazed into them in a dimly lit library, when for those brief few minutes, he was the answer to all of her prayers. How dare he look upon her like that now as if nothing were wrong, as if it were that bright morning so long ago, when he was seemingly in awe of meeting the resident princess for the first time.

Her gaze upon him hardened into a glare and she was certain that if she stared any harder, she'd burn a hole right through his head. That innocent look of his would fool her no longer. She knew the horrid truth about him. Deep down, past the dreamy eyes and charming face lay the soul of a monster; one who preyed on her insecurities; one who turned one of the purest forces of nature into a weapon; one who filled her heart with so much hope and light only to shatter it into a thousand pieces. His heart was blacker than coal. How could he possibly be anything else? He abandoned and left her to die without a second thought. He betrayed not only her heart and her trust, but the trust of her entire kingdom. Worst of all, he tried—and nearly succeeded—to murder her sister, the _queen_, just to play a hero and usurp the throne.

"_You_…" She hissed briefly, pulling herself from her inner fury to address him. Her mind was spinning. The very nature of this reunion brought on a sickening sense of déjà vu. Even the apology he offered was word for word what he said before. There was no mistaking it. That morning's event was forever burned into her memory.

"What on earth are you doing here?" She demanded, shifting onto her knees in an effort to get back to her feet.

"I-I'm here for the festival." He replied quietly while watching her struggle to stand. "Here, let me help." Tucking his notebook under one arm, he reached out to gently take her arms and help her rise.

He dared touch her, and it threw her into a frenzy. "Get off!" Anna said sharply and violently wrenched her arm free. Her hand had formed into a fist as she freed herself and when it raised upwards, he immediately backed away and raised his arms up in an effort to protect his face. His sudden, fearful recoil gave her pause.

_He… thinks I'm going to strike him? Hmmph. Maybe I should. I'm sure he deserves it._

"Please, Princess. I mean you no harm." Once again, Hans answered in that quiet voice that seemed foreign to her. He kept his gaze downwards, and that's when he noticed her belongings all over the floor, and he knelt to pick them up.

"Don't you?" She snapped, eyeing him skeptically.

Hans only shook his head as he stood back up. "It's uh…" he seemed to struggle choosing what to say, "it's nice to see you again." He held out his full hands to her, "You're looking well."

"… Thanks." She replied shortly, answering more for him picking up her writing instruments than for his feeble attempts at polite small talk. He could put on all the airs and graces that he wanted. She certainly had no interest in indulging him. "Though, I can't say I share the same sentiment." Anna held her head high as she took back her belongings. I'm surprised they even let you come here, after everything you've—"

Hans let out a defeated sigh and his shoulders slumped a little. "—it was three years ago, Anna—"

"_Princess Anna_." She interrupted. He did not deserve to be on a casual first name basis with her anymore.

Another sigh and he looked away.

"The years mean nothing," she bristled. "Time doesn't heal everything."

"I…" he stopped himself and for a brief moment his eyes met hers again. Whatever it was he was going to say, he couldn't bring himself to let it out. Moving the notebook back to his front, he bowed his head, "Well. I-I should go." He nodded to her parchment and pen. "I can see you have s-something more important to attend to." Hans straightened and gave one last courteous nod. "I'm sorry again, for knocking you down, An—" He caught himself from saying her name, "_Princess Anna_." Without giving her the chance to respond, he scurried past her and dashed upstairs.

Anna watched him run off, staring upwards at the stairwell until she heard the door to an upper corridor open and close. Hans was gone.

_Good riddance_. She huffed silently as she finally made it outside. The sun was shining. The birds were chirping. All that was needed was for her to pick a comfortable place to settle and let the pleasant sounds of nature keep her calm and grounded. Then she could write her letter to Elsa.

She found a comfortable bench near the fountain and sat down. Gathering her parchment and pen in hand, she kept it hovering a few inches from the page. She hesitated. It wasn't that she couldn't come up with anything to write home about—if anything, the last five minutes gave her plenty of venting material.

She just… couldn't.

Anna found herself glancing back towards the castle entrance where she ran into Hans. That brief encounter brought forth so many questions. _What was he doing here_? _How was he even -allowed- to be here?_ Anna thought back to her discussions with Elsa regarding the trip. She certainly would have remembered if her sister mentioned that Hans of all people were going to be attending the festival events. Not only that, she was even more certain that Elsa wouldn't even have _allowed_ her to come at all if she knew the truth.

_Elsa would never put me in danger like this—to spend what's supposed to be a fun festive event with her __**attempted murderer**_.

The more she thought about it, though, the more uneasy she became. Real or otherwise, she had seen two sides to Hans in the past: charming gentlemanly, caring and supportive; cold, ruthless, deceptive and deadly. He was so good at manipulating others, herself included. When she first laid eyes on him today, she expected him to act in either of those ways. But he didn't.

_What's he playing at?_ She wondered. He didn't seem at all like himself. Quiet, reserved, nervous. She's never seen him behave like that before. _He…_ she suddenly remembered when she stood up in the corridor, _he thought I was going to hit him. Which, I guess, is fair. It wouldn't have been the first time my fist collided with his face. But he recoiled back. Was he really afraid of me? That doesn't sound like Hans either._

With a sigh, she momentarily capped her pen and laid it down flat on her parchment. The brief conversation played back in her mind, and a small part of her was feeling the slightest bit of guilt for how she treated him. The meeting was just another accident. He apologized, tried to help, and she only snapped at him. Maybe she should have been a bit nicer. He only asked how she was, after all….

_Ugh. Anna, get a hold of yourself. This is Hans. He was probably pulling the innocent routine just to get on your good side. You can't let him get into your head. No matter what he says or does, he cannot be trusted._

Anna closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. _Just forget about Hans and write your letter. Elsa is way more important._

The cap came back off, and she dipped the pen into her ink, brought it back to her parchment and began to write.

_Dear Elsa,_

Once again, the writing stopped. Anna let out a frustrated groan. Now that she bothered to think about Hans, she couldn't think of anything or anyone else. Sure, he was gone now, but how many more times would they run into each other? Seeing him for those few minutes was long enough to last her the entire trip. She could always try avoiding him. And should she share in some of the same activities, she didn't have to talk to him, with the few exceptions of basic manners of pleases, thank you's, excuse me's….

"Ah! There you are!" A jolly voice sounded suddenly behind her, and she nearly jumped off the bench in shock.

"Prince Oscar!" Her hands moved to her chest right over her heart. It was beating fast. "You startled me!"

"My sincerest apologies," he offered with a smile and leaned over the back of the bench. "I've been looking for you."

Anna's cheeks turned pink. "I had a free morning, so I thought I'd write a quick letter to Elsa. Y'know, let her know how the journey went."

"That's thoughtful." He nodded and peered over her shoulder to see what she had written. "There's nothing there."

"I know." She replied quickly and thought fast to come up with a good reason. "I've… only just started."

"Ah." He said. "Shall I leave you in the meantime, then? We can have our tour later today."

She bit her lip and glanced down at the blank paper. There was a good chance that if he left her alone, her mind would start racing again and then nothing would get accomplished. Or worse, Hans could come back.

"No." She answered and gathered her things. "I can write this later. Besides, it'll give me something else to write home about."

* * *

"You've gotten awfully quiet, my dear," Oscar said as the pair left the ancient St. Maria Cathedral in the center of Oskberg. "I do hope I'm not boring you."

"Oh! N-not at all." Anna quickly waved her hands about to try and reassure him. "I suppose there's just a lot on my mind today."

"All pleasant things, I hope." He replied and offered his arm to her, "I'd hate to see you in a sour state while you're here to enjoy the festival."

Anna's arm peeked out from under her cloak and looped around his, and she allowed him to pull her a little loser to his side. "Oh, I will. I've been looking forward to this event ever since the formal invitation arrived. I promise I'll have a grand ol' time. It's just…" she debated whether or not she should tell Oscar. She wasn't super close to him, but they were indeed friends, having shared written correspondence before their few meetings face to face. And she did enjoy his company. "…I had an unexpected encounter this morning. It's throwing me off."

"Care to talk about it?" He inquired. When she shot him an unsure look, he elaborated further, "it might help you feel better, to get this weight off of your chest."

_I suppose I did set myself up for that…_ She frowned and sighed quietly. "I saw Prince Hans today."

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles?" Oscar asked with innocent curiosity in his tone.

"Yes, him." Anna bit her lip. "You see… we were, well… we have a history."

"Ah," Oscar nodded, "I remember now. You two were betrothed, were you not?"

"We were engaged…" Anna purposefully left off the fact that her arrangement with Hans only lasted at most three days. It was becoming obvious to her that while Oscar and his family knew the basic facts of what transpired in Arendelle, they weren't privy to Hans' true actions and motives. After all, he was invited to attend the festival on good faith. As much as she personally hated the Southern Isles prince, she felt it would be wrong to share very personal aspects their relationship—especially if it meant trouble for him while he was here. The subject of Hans was touchy for her, for various conflicting reasons—none which Oscar _really_ needed to hear.

"But no longer." He deduced, stopping them at a nearby flower cart and reaching into the pocket of his greatcoat for his coins. "I met the man yesterday and offered our official greetings to the kingdom. He seemed like a very reserved individual. Very polite—" he caught her trying to hide a scoff and one of his brows quirked upwards. "What a shame that he let a treasure such as yourself go."

Anna pressed her lips together in an effort to keep herself from saying something she would regret. A thought came to her then. If Oscar spoke to Hans, then perhaps she could get some form of information from him. Though what exactly, she wasn't entirely sure. After all, she had no idea what two gentlemen found to talk about.

_Gentlemen…. As if Hans could really be considered one…._

"Oh?" She began with forced curiosity. "And what did Hans have to say?"

Oscar took his time responding, momentarily preoccupied by selecting a few colorful blooms. "I'll admit the conversation was rather short. I mostly just wanted to see who the man was. Unlike others I've met, he didn't try fishing for compliments or boasting. Overall, he seemed rather downcast." He glanced briefly to her, "much like you are right now." She didn't respond to his baited statement, so he led into it on his own. " I can't help but wonder what happened between you."

Anna's gaze drifted downward, and her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her cloak. There were plenty of things she could say in response. All of them would bring up the unpleasant memories she worked hard to bury over the last three years. "He broke my heart." She finally replied, "he wasn't the man I thought he was."

"I'm sorry." Oscar replied sympathetically and handed the woman running the flower cart his payment. "It's a terrible tragedy to be betrayed by love."

_Betray…._ Did he choose that specific word purely by coincidence, or was he indeed privy to the Arendelle events?

"It was three years ago, Oscar. It hurt for a while, but I moved on after a time." She sighed sadly, still refusing to look at the prince. "It was just a blight in my past, and I put it behind me. Out of sight, out of mind."

"Until this morning."

Anna nodded.

"Well, I clearly don't know the full extent of your history with this man, but it must have been strong to make such feelings come bubbling back to the surface."

Glancing to the side, she spotted an empty bench along the edge of the cobblestone street, and she took a seat. Oscar followed and sat down beside her.

"Are there still feelings towards him?"

"Hurt and anger, mostly." She desperately wanted to change the subject. Her eyes landed on the small hand-picked bunch of lilies and carnations in his hand. "Those are pretty."

With an encouraging smile growing across his face, he offered the small bouquet to her. "Pretty, yes. But they pale in comparison to your fair beauty."

Anna felt her cheeks redden and she shook her head, "Flatterer. You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"No. The _flowers_ are to make you feel better. My words are merely the truth." Taking a deep breath, he turned his body to face her. "This unpleasantness won't become an issue, will it?"

"I think…" she began, shaking her head, "I think I'll be alright. I mean, I'll be here for a month. I'm sure I can find ways to avoid Hans."

"I believe I can assist with that." In a daring move, Oscar placed his hand over hers. "I for one would enjoy spending more time with you, festival or not."

Once again, he offered her the flowers and this time she felt compelled to take them and brought them to her nose to smell. "You're a good man, Oscar. I'd like that very much-" She paused, suddenly feeling the need to specify further, "-as friends." Her clarification caught him a bit off guard. Maybe that wasn't how he wished to spend their shared time, but it would have to do.

"Of course."

Now it was her turn to squeeze his hand. "I think I know what you had in mind. I-I'm flattered by your interest in me. And I do enjoy spending time with you and look forward to more later on as the month goes on. It's just… don't think I'm ready to be courted right now."

Oscar nodded slowly, thoughtfully. His thumb rubbed gently over her skin. "Would you be… open to the possibility?"

She giggled quietly. "You mean, would I change my mind?" Anna pursed her lips and smiled to him. "Maybe. But I offer no promises." Then, with a push, she stood up from the bench and offered him her free hand. "C'mon. The sun is still up. I think there's still plenty more of this city to see."

* * *

The Harvest Festival was now officially underway. Oskberg and the surrounding smaller villages were decorated, and tents were set up for the various activities and events to take place throughout the month.

At the castle, the royal family had gathered participating guests outside to the courtyard. Today they were hosting tours through the farm country surrounding the outskirts of Oskberg. To manage the group, the royals were going to divide to cover more land. King Wilhelm, Queen Helene, and Prince Oscar and Princess Josephine together were each taking a group.

Anna was a bit nervous at first. Since her arrival, this was the first chance that she would potentially have to spend time in Hans' company. Since her return from her city tour with the crowned prince days ago, she had tried hard to avoid Hans. At dinner, when he was in attendance, she sat at the far opposite end. When Hans was out in the garden, she went to the library. But now, they both stood in the crowd, and there would be a good chance that they'd end up in the same group. It certainly would not reflect well on her if she rudely ignored him in front of others.

She could see him in the crowd. He wasn't standing that far from her, but he was further to the front of the group. He stood by Queen Charlotte. Most likely, the path Charlotte took, he would take too. Anna waited for him to make the first move. She had no real preference to which group she chose, so long as he wasn't in it.

The crowd began dispersing, and Anna felt a bit silly to still be standing in place. Many of the older visiting monarchs gravitated to King Wilhelm, and his gathering was the first to leave. Carriages pulled up to the steps, and they soon departed to the northern region.

_O-okay. So… Queen Helene, or Oscar and Josephine…._

Then Queen Charlotte moved, approaching the Rheland queen with a friendly embrace. But Hans seemed hesitant to follow. He was looking around the remaining crowd, his eyes moving back and forth between the queen and her son.

_He's weighing his options. Maybe he doesn't want to go with the queens…._

Then his eyes landed on hers for a brief moment, and he bit into his lip. In response, she shook her head at him, denying him… whatever it was he was silently asking her.

…_or, maybe he's doing exactly what __**I'm **__doing…_.

"Hans?" Charlotte called to him, "You don't have to come with me if you don't want to."

"I-I know." Hans said, and glanced back to Anna, silently waiting for her cue.

"Anna!" Oscar called to her with an outstretched hand. "Would you like to join us?"

Part of her would have loved to go with the queens. She hadn't gotten much chance to speak with Charlotte without Hans being nearby. But, for whatever reason, Hans seemed hesitant to join Oscar and Josephine.

_Well… as I say to Elsa, you snooze you lose!_ With a smile on her face, she descended the last few steps and stood beside the prince. That seemed all of the motivation Hans needed. She wasn't looking directly at him, but in the corners of her vision, she could see him shuffle his way to Charlotte and Queen Helene.

"Well then!" Helene clasped her hands together with excitement. "Now that it's all settled, let's get going!" She turned to the awaiting coachmen at her carriage and her group started to board their rides.

"Mama, wait!" Princess Josephine said suddenly. Gathering her skirts, she suddenly broke away from her brother's side and dashed to her mother. "May I join you instead?"

Anna didn't anticipate the princess abandoning them. Their group was mostly the younger guests closer to her and the princess' age. She figured being around them would be far more exciting. And then she saw Josephine smile sweetly at Hans and immediately knew why she bailed. So, the princess fancied him. Anna made a mental note to warn her new friend once they all returned to the castle. Still, she did get some satisfaction at the uncomfortable expression on Hans' face. It was subtle, but it was definitely there. And it got bigger when he shot one last look her way before his carriage pulled out of the courtyard.

Her own carriage left a few moments later, and Anna's excitement grew. The roads throughout the countryside were a bit on the bumpy side, but she didn't care—at least for the moment. No doubt later in the evening her body would be sore. She rode with Prince Oscar and the Osterheim representative. The men were engaged in conversation, and while she contributed every so often, she was more preoccupied with the scenery around them. She enjoyed the sights of open fields and farmland. A pleasant change from the fjords and large mountain ranges of Arendelle.

Glicker Farm was one of the larger farms to the south of Oskberg. It took the carriage about thirty minutes to arrive, and Anna was eager to get out and stretch. Oscar laughed at her when she practically bound from her seat.

"Oh, stop!" Anna made a face as she stretched her arms out over her head. "I was all cramped up! Weren't you?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine." He smirked and glanced around them. The group had congregated at the gravel path leading to the farmhouse. Farmer and Frau Glicker had come outside to welcome the guests. "Ready to have some fun?"

Anna smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

Frau Glicker smiled warmly and opened her arms out to address the group. "We've got a real treat in store for you today." She turned slightly and gestured to her husband. "This is Wilbur, and I'm Anette. Welcome to our farm."

"Your highness." Wilbur stood straight and bowed his head in respect when Oscar approached with Anna. "Thank you for choosing our humble land."

"Not at all. It's our pleasure." Oscar smiled.

"Now come along everyone!" Anette waved the group forward. "I've made up some refreshments for you to start. I'm sure you could use it after your journey here."

There was a large table set up outside the barn with beverages and plates of baked goods. Different varieties of cider and fresh pumpkin bread and muffins. Anna's taste buds were in a state of bliss. The apple cider was delightfully tangy, and the bread was fresh and moist. There were plenty of surplus snacks left after everyone got their sampling, and she was tempted to take second and third helpings.

The Glickers led their guests on a wagon ride through the different areas of the farm, seeing everything from raspberries and apples to pumpkins and squash. There were more samplings along the way, and Anna was sure by the end that she wouldn't need to eat her next meal. With every stop they took, everyone was able to stretch out and pick enough to fill a crate-worth to take back to Oskberg.

"So… why is all of this coming back to the castle?" Anna asked Oscar as they walked through the edges of the pumpkin patch back towards the waiting carriage. "Isn't there enough food stocked already?"

"There's going to be a contest later this week involving our three head cooks. That's why we divided into groups and hit three different farms." Oscar replied.

"What's the contest then? Who can make the best dish?"

"Something like that." Oscar explained. "Each farm visited today grows roughly the same types of vegetation. Pies will be made from the apples, berries, and pumpkins that we've picked, and you all will be blind-taste-testing them to determine which harvest was the best. The Glickers, the Shultzs, and the Bowens each have their own recipes that they will help their representing cook prepare."

"What's the winner receive?"

"The winning farm will have the majority of their crops used for our exports to your home, Arendelle, and our other trading partners for the upcoming round of seasons, and in return, they will receive a significant portion of the profits. We tend to rotate which farms service our exports every year so it's fair for everyone. But with the festival revival this year, we thought we'd make the decision process a bit more interesting—and fun for everyone. It's not often that these people have royalty and dignitaries on their land. It's their chance to show off all of their hard work all year round."

"That's a wonderful thing to do." Anna smiled. "So, if the Glickers win this year, are they allowed to compete in next year's festival?"

"Of course, if they choose to." Oscar smiled. "Everyone gets a fair chance, and it may encourage their neighbors to come up with new recipes and ways of growing if it means obtaining that coveted prize Still, it's all healthy and fun competition. There are no real losers here. Everyone's hard work is appreciated, and everyone else's harvests will still help feed our own citizens and our neighbors, just as they always have. In some cases, they work the hardest and are the most overlooked. Putting our farmers in the spotlight for the festival is merely another way we are giving back to the communities. We pride ourselves with having that strong sense of unity between the classes. No one is better than another, and we all rely on our kin to keep Rheland prosperous."

"I can see now why this entire festival is packed with food." Anna replied with a grin. "But it can't all be apples and pies and cider. What else do you have in store, hmm?"

"Well, Princess Anna…" Oscar offered his arm and she eagerly took it. "You'll just have to wait and see."


	5. The Fall Harvest Festival-- Part 2

"What a day!" Anna beamed as her horse slowed to a trot once re-entering the castle grounds. She turned to her left and smiled to Prince Oscar as his own steed pulled up alongside hers. "I didn't realize Anslas was so big!"

"It's the second largest city in Rheland." Oscar replied.

"I could tell just from the crowds alone! Who would have thought a children's craft activity would bring about so many people."

"Well, we can't let adults have all the fun, now can we. The Harvest Festival is supposed to bring _everyone_ together, not just grown-ups."

Anna giggled quietly to herself. "I suppose you're right. Besides, getting lost in the crowd isn't so bad when the majority of it only comes up waist high."

"True." Oscar glanced behind them briefly, "though in today's circumstance, I wish we could have gotten lost a bit easier."

Anna followed his gaze to see their guarded escort following a short way behind them. "We're safer with them though…"

"I just don't like being followed about."

She shot him a teasing smile. "No, you just wanted the afternoon _alone_ with me."

"Oh yes. Alone in a crowd of excited children and their parents."

"Psh. You know what I meant." Anna huffed and swat at his arm.

Oscar chuckled and nudged her back. "Did you enjoy the afternoon?"

"Of course!" Anna replied enthusiastically. "I didn't realize there were going to be so many artists present. The pieces from that auction were breathtaking. And those children learning to paint? It's a shame this festival wasn't going on when _I_ was little. I would have loved for Mama or Papa to have brought me."

_Well… assuming we could—or would—with the gates closed and all…._

"You still could have participated if you wanted to. No one would have stopped you." Oscar replied, "And I for one would have loved to see what artistic talents you had to offer."

Anna burst into another round of giggles just as their horses entered the stables. "Trust me. You would not."

Oscar gave his reins a tug to stop his horse. "Trust me, I would. Very much." He easily dismounted and walked around to Anna's steed, holding his arms out to her. She carefully eased off the saddle and slid off the horse, falling right into his waiting hold.

Her cheeks flushed instantly as she stood in his arms, her hands still resting on his chest, his arm wrapped safely around her waist. For those few moments when her eyes became lost in his, she couldn't bring herself to break away. She and Oscar spent a lot of festival and personal time together. Even though their relationship remained on a friendship level, she couldn't help but feel closer, and a little attracted to him. There was a logical part of her that wanted to keep this relationship strictly platonic and let Oscar know that nothing else could—or would—come from it, and that she preferred to remain alone.

The other part was begging the opposite. She's gotten to know the Rheland prince pretty well. He appeared to be a good man. Fair, honest, compassionate, not to mention physically appealing. How bad could it really be to let him court her? It wasn't as if he was going to propose marriage the instant that she gave the all-clear. He wasn't _Hans_, and he could never be. _That_ disaster was three years ago, and after almost a year since her break-up with Kristoff, perhaps it was time for her to try again. At least here, she'd be doing it on her own terms. She had told Elsa she was happy being alone, but that wasn't completely true. Yes, there was a certain level of enjoyment to her new level of freedom, but she was alone for most of her life. Even now, after the gates have been open for years and she was surrounded by friends and family, she still craved a new level of companionship. Granted, it wasn't an obsessive need like the day of the coronation, but the basic desire was still there.

And frankly, she was getting tired of fending off unpleasant suitors from places she's never even heard of.

"Ahem." Someone cleared their throat from across the stables, and their voice was rather short. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

The sudden intrusion startled them both out of their dreamy trance, and Anna instantly pressed her hands into Oscar's chest to pry them apart.

"I-I'm sorry!" Anna began apologizing as she turned around to address their newcomer. "We were—" and then her face fell.

_Oh. It's just Hans._

"Ah, Prince Hans!" Oscar greeted the fellow prince cordially. "It's been quite a few days since we've seen you."

Hans offered a small nod, "I've kept to myself mostly."

"Ah." Oscar nodded in return and gestured to Anna. "Well, we just returned from a ride to Anslas. They're holding an art display this weekend—"

"Yes, I was there with Queen Charlotte yesterday."

"Then I hope it was as pleasant an experience for you as it was for us." Oscar replied. "And today, it was a beautiful day, and remains so, if you'd like to take a horse for some air."

"Thank you." Hans replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "But I was planning on just spending time in here."

"In the stables?" Oscar looked to Anna and they shared equally puzzled looks.

Hans' eyebrow raised. "I like horses."

Anna watched Hans as he walked past them both towards one of the open stalls. She noticed that same notebook tucked under his arm from the first time she bumped into him. _What, is he plotting out his next kingdom take-over? Who needs a journal that large?_

"What's the notebook for?" She found herself asking before she could censor herself. Now she regretted the curiosity because Hans was staring right at her. But it wasn't the shy, fearful Hans from that first day here. Today he seemed rigid, agitated, possibly at them. She couldn't figure out why. They didn't do anything, and they had just as much right to be in the stables as him.

Hans' gaze redirected to the notebook in his arms. His mouth opened and then closed as he seemed to debate what to say.

"It's just a sketchbook."

His response surprised her. She expected him to make some witty or sarcastic comment about her prying. _Hans draws? _Not that really wanted to be in the man's presence longer than need be, but she was curious to what exactly was in there now. However, just as she was about to open her mouth, she felt Oscar reach our and clasp her hand in his, drawing her attention.

"An artist! How wonderful! Anna here wouldn't show me what skills she had to offer this afternoon, but perhaps one day we'll be able to see your talents."

Hans raised a brow at the pair as he eyed them suspiciously. "One day. Maybe."

Oscar then gave Anna's hand a tug. "Well then. Come along, my dear. It seems our humble stables serves as a source of inspiration for our friend here. Let's leave him to his muse." Before Anna could offer any sort of response, the crowned prince led her from the stables onto the path back to the castle.

"What was that all about?" Anna asked once they were far enough away. "Are you in some sort of hurry?"

"No." Oscar replied. "But I could feel the tension radiating off of you. And he seemed none too pleased about finding us in his preferred hiding place."

Anna blinked. "He hides in the stables?"

"I overheard him talking to one of our stable hands last week. He's frequented the place quite often since the festival began. Apparently, he prefers horses to people for company."

"Hmph." Anna huffed. "I'd call him odd for it, but one of my best friends back home feels that way towards his reindeer, so I suppose I'm not quite in the position to judge. If Hans wants to hide away in there, then let him. Now I know where to avoid for the remainder of my stay."

"Oh?" Oscar said. He stopped walking and let his shoulders slouch a little. "Does that mean you won't allow me to take you on another horseback ride?"

"Oh—I meant more for when I'm by myself—" she paused, and she glanced over at him, backtracking a few steps to stand beside him. "Wait, another ride? Is Anslas hosting another activity for us to attend? I thought you didn't want your guards following us around."

"Well…" He took each of her hands in his and pulled his arms in, drawing her closer to him. "We won't need them if we stay on the grounds, now will we. I was thinking more of a small venture, perhaps a quiet picnic…."

She felt her cheeks flush again. Based on his body language alone, she could tell what he was alluding to, but decided to play it innocent anyway. "Oscar… that sounds very nice. Who will be joining us? Your sister maybe—"

"Definitely not Josie," He sighed, "She will only bemoan about how the object of her affections wants nothing to do with her."

"You mean Hans?" She couldn't help but laugh. "She's better off without him, trust me."

"Yes, she'll get over him by the time the festival is over." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders, then turned his sights back on her. "Well?"

"Well what?" Anna asked absently. "O-oh. You mean your proposal…"

"How does tomorrow, late morning sound?"

Anna offered him a quirky smile. "I haven't said yes yet, Silly."

Oscar matched her expression. "You haven't said no, either. So…"

"It sounds like you're trying to court me, your highness," Anna replied slyly. "Is that what you're up to?"

Oscar nodded his head back and forth before answering. "Is that what you would like it to be?" His hands gently squeezed hers, and he raised them up to press gently into his torso. "I for one would like that very much."

Those inner feelings were starting to flare again. Her heart seemed to flutter when his eyes met hers. She hadn't had such feelings about a man since…well. No, _he_ wouldn't occupy her thoughts anymore. Maybe it really was time to start over. And what real harm would there be? In just over a week, the festival would be over, and she'd have to go home. Any budding courtship would have to resort to letters until another reunion somewhere.

"…I think I might like that, too. But… please don't overdo it. We are still supposed to be friends." Once she finally said it, she started to feel more confident about the decision. Her cheeks naturally turned a brighter shade of red when a look of pure joy shined across his face, and he brought her hands up so he could lay a light kiss to the backs of each one.

"I'll make all of the arrangements then." He smiled warmly, "It's a date."

* * *

"Oh Agatha," Queen Charlotte sighed as she practically stumbled into her bedchamber and closed the door behind her. "What a day…."

The lady's maid stopped fluffing the bed pillows to address her mistress. "Busy day, Milady?"

"My yes." Charlotte crossed the room and sat down on a chaise lounge near the lit fireplace. "I met with the ambassador this morning in a meeting that kept me all the way through luncheon with Kings Wilhelm and Alastor. Then this afternoon Queen Helene took Prince Hans and I to Oslton for to see part of a local exhibit. "She let out a long exhale and stretched out on her seat. "Today just seemed to be nonstop."

"Your last few days have been just as full." Agatha remarked and came over. She knelt before the queen's feet and assisted in removing her shoes. "This festival has been the busiest your schedule has been in a long time—"

"You're absolutely right." Charlotte replied and tucked her feet up under her skirts once her shoes were off. "The last I've been this active was when Frederick and I undertook a kingdom-wide tour after the coronation. Still, I enjoy being active like this. Whether for business or pleasure, I do get a sense of fulfillment from our community engagements."

"It's also important for you to look after yourself." Agatha replied. "You've been go-go-go. Now you need a rest!"

Charlotte leaned back and glanced towards the fireplace, watching the flames. "My schedule tomorrow is pretty open. I was only planning on writing some letters and perhaps taking a stroll through Oskberg." She closed her eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath.

"Your Majesty?" Agatha asked with concern and she gently placed the back of her hand against the queen's rosy cheek.

"I'm… I'm alright." Charlotte replied after a few more breaths. "I think perhaps the spicy dinner is affecting me."

"Would you care for anything? Or perhaps I should prepare you for bed?"

Charlotte replied after a yawn. "I think bed might be a good idea." She slowly sat up and swung her legs over the other side of the lounge and stood. "I could use the extra rest." She remained still and patient while her maid loosened the fasteners of her dress. "What of you, Agatha?"

"Me, Milady?"

"Was your schedule as busy as mine?"

The older woman only laughed, "I had plenty to do today, Ma'am. I can assure you. There wasn't much free time."

"Oh Agatha," Charlotte teased, turning the conversation back on her, "you have to be able to look after yourself, enjoy some of the festival."

"But I—"

"—no buts." Charlotte insisted and stepped out of the pooling of underskirts on the floor. "Tomorrow, you have the afternoon off. Go enjoy Oskberg. There's plenty of festivities going on every day."

"If you're sure…"

"I am." Charlotte smiled to her maid. "You're a hard worker, and I feel it often goes unrewarded. Take some time for yourself. It'll do you good. Especially since the tail end of this week will be busier again with the party."

"Ah, and that reminds me. Your gown is pressed and clean for this weekend." Agatha replied as she helped the queen into her nightdress.

"Wonderful!" Charlotte walked to her vanity and sat down. Her hands went up to free her long tresses from the several pins holding it in its updo. From the reflection in the mirror, she could see Agatha picking up all of the garments from the floor. The room was quiet now, and Charlotte was soon focused on running the brush through her hair. Exhausted as she was though, she wasn't sure if she would be able to fall asleep right away.

A quick stretch, and she was up and heading for the bed. Agatha had already pulled back the heavy bedding, so she climbed right in and pulled the blankets up to her waist and propped herself up against a few of her larger pillows.

"Agatha? Is my writing tablet here somewhere?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Could you bring it?" Charlotte asked. "I think I'll get a head start on one of those letters tonight."

"Of course," Agatha set the garment pile aside and gathered the necessary writing instruments from the desk. "But wouldn't it be easier here where there's room?"

"Probably." Charlotte let out a small chuckle. "But it's far more comfortable here. And this seems like a proper place with what I have to say," She gave a soft smile as she took the tablet, pen and parchment onto her lap. "Thank you, Agatha. And that'll be all for tonight. I'll see you in the morning." Once Agatha left, the queen took a moment to resettle herself. Her gaze shifted to her side at the empty half of the bed and she let out a sad sigh. Her hand reached over to trace the bedsheets, and then the pillow. They were cool, and once again served as a reminder that they wouldn't be warmed tonight, at least, not by anyone other than her.

She fought to suppress a yawn. The letter didn't have to be written tonight. She could easily set her writing supplies aside, stack up some of the extra pillows beside her and cling to them as she tried to sleep, just as she's done for the last week-and-a-half. But even a firm stack of pillows couldn't replace the warmth and comfort of her husband, and all she'd have in store would be another quiet, lonely evening. But would she rather lay awake for hours struggling to find peaceful dreams? Or use the time wisely and write.

Charlotte didn't need another moment to decide. Uncapping her pen, she took a deep breath before bringing it up against the parchment.

_Sunday, 6_ _th_ _ of November 1842_

_My darling Frederick…_

* * *

-The Southern Isles—

Tensions have been running high in the Westergaard castle. With the queen abroad for several weeks now, King Frederick made a point to bury himself in his work. Unfortunately for the rest of the household, her absence each passing day only made him more irritable. Eventually, his moods began to project onto his brothers. Even the elder twins Viktor and Georg, the two most light-hearted, jovial, and mischievous of the clan, were starting to be affected by the king. They've started taking it upon themselves to butt into Frederick's study to help him manage not only his workload, but his sanity.

"Ten days…" Tomas sighed as he collapsed into his chair at the dinner table.

"Ten days, seven hours," Lars corrected him. Not bothering to wait for the rest of the family, he snatched up a small roll from the center platter and began picking it apart.

Tomas put his head into his hands and let out a loud groan, "I don't know if I can take much more of this."

"Of what?" Astor asked as he strolled into the dining room and took a seat closer to the head of the table.

"Freddy." Lars answered. Little bits of breadcrumbs spewed from his mouth as he spoke. "He's more of an ass than normal, and that's saying something."

"Manners please." Astor rolled his eyes at his younger brother. "Just because Charlotte isn't here, that doesn't give you the excuse to act uncivilized."

"Oh, lighten up." Lars swallowed his mouthful and slumped back in his chair. "No one else really cares. And you and I both know manners will go right out the window once Dirk and Derrick show up for dinner."

"It's not like Frederick will even notice." Tomas added, snatching up some bread for himself. "He's too busy wallowing in misery."

"You two really have no idea what he's dealing with right now," Astor countered and nodded to Viktor and Georg as they entered the room. "This goes far beyond the absence of the queen. He's under a tremendous deal of stress." He observed the similar, unimpressed looks on Lars and Tomas' faces. "Honestly, the two of you will never have to deal with the pressures of managing a kingdom."

Before the younger Westergaards could begin to retort, Frederick slowly strolled in. All of the younger men stood up for him until Frederick waved his hand out, and they sat back down. He didn't verbally acknowledge anyone until he took his seat at the head of the table. And it wasn't to any of his brothers, but to the head footman to start serving dinner.

"Shouldn't we wait for Dirk and Derrick?" Lars asked.

"No." Frederick shook his head, "if they can't bother to come on time, they can fend for themselves."

"Thank god." Tomas muttered under his breath, "I'm starving…"

Viktor and Georg exchanged glances before turning to Frederick. "So… Viktor began. The servant placed a soup bowl before him, and he picked up his spoon. "Any news from the agents abroad?"

"No." Frederick replied shortly and started on his first course.

"Well, that's a good thing, isn't it?" Lars asked.

"I would rather receive word that Alvania or any other kingdom _were_ up to something. Then I could prepare. I could take appropriate action. I could send word to Rheland and have Charlotte and Hans brought safely home. On the other hand, we could be informed that all is well, and the previously mentioned military activity was nothing to be concerned about. That would certainly give good reason to relax." Frederick replied and set his spoon down beside his bowl. "In times like these, a lack of knowledge is weakness. With our family abroad, the unknown brings about much fear for—"

"—well, I don't think any of us really fear for Hans." Tomas joked and immediately shrank back when Frederick shot him a glare.

"My point is, I don't trust Viktor Beker or the Alvanians. Their recent activity—what we know of it—is alarming and if remained unchecked, a lot of damage could be done."

"Speaking of potential damage…" Lars leaned in to whisper into Astor's ear as the doors to the dining room burst open and Dirk and Derrick, the youngest set of twins, sauntered into the dining room. They had to sidestep the servants moving about the table serving dinner.

"You're late." Frederick chided. "You missed the first course."

"Nah." Dirk waved his brother off and reached for the meat platter in front of him. "We had an appetizer in town."

Astor grimaced at the various pink and red smudges across both his and Derrick's faces. Clearly, their appetizer wasn't food, but he refrained from calling it out. And he wasn't the only one to notice or be disgusted by it. Frederick also had an upset look on his face, and he pushed his plate away and leaned back in his chair. His dinner was barely touched. "Fred, you've got to eat." He said softly.

Frederick quickly shook his head and rubbed his forehead, "I can't."

"You skipped lunch." Viktor reminded him, "And you didn't eat much yesterday either."

Tomas perked up hearing their chatter. "Well, if he doesn't want his plate, I'll take it!"

Astor ignored Tomas and turned back in his chair. "Frederick, what's Charlotte going to say when she returns to find you've ben neglecting yourself?"

"Yeah. At this rate you'll be all skin and bones like Lars here."

"You know what they say? All work and no play made Freddy a dull boy." Derrick said with his mouth full. "How 'bout we take you back to town with us later. I know a lovely blonde—"

"—oh, shut up." Frederick snapped and picked at the biscuit on his plate. The remainder of that course was left in awkward silence. The only sounds in the room were coming from the silverware striking against the china. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity for the king, a footman approached to take away his full plate. Before he walked away though, he reached into his pocket and set a sealed envelope down on the table.

"Your Majesty," The young man said quietly, when the king didn't seem to notice the mail before him. "This arrived for you a short while ago."

"I'll read it later." Frederick mumbled and waved the man off.

"It's from Rheland—"

Now that got the King's attention. He sat up in his chair and glanced at the servant. "Rheland?"

"Yes, sir." The servant replied quickly and gathered other dirty dishes nearby so dessert could come out.

Newfound energy surged through the eldest Westergaard. A letter from Rheland meant it was most likely from Charlotte. She'd been gone for three weeks now and this was the first bit of correspondence he's received since. Her lack of news was certainly a contributing factor in his foul mood. He was counting on her supposed frequent letters, hoping something would give him clues to the political atmosphere. But there wasn't any news. Until now.

Grabbing his dinner knife, he eagerly ripped open the envelope and pulled out the parchment inside. Several long pages. His eyes quickly scanned over the top page and a relieving smile formed across his face.

"It's Charlotte's hand."

"Oh!" Viktor leaned forward in his seat. "What's she got to say?"

"Is she enjoying the festival?" Astor asked.

"Is Hans giving her a hard time?" Lars snickered.

Frederick raised a brow. "Shall I just read it out-loud and stop this constant stream of questions?" He cleared his throat and smoothened out the parchment in his hands.

"_My darling Frederick—"_

"Aww, Tomas, Dirk and Derrick cooed.

Frederick rolled his eyes and continued to read, "_What a wonderful time we are having here in Rheland! Hans and I received a lovely welcome from the royal family. We settled in very easily, and even had a few days to ourselves before the main festivities began. Queen Helene offered me a delightful tour of Oskberg and Anslas. I'm glad we packed plenty of casual attire. It's been such fun blending in with the crowds._

"_Our rooms surround an enclosed garden. I know for a fact that Hans spends a great deal of time there. He really is enjoying his time away from home. I'm so happy that—"_

"Eh. If this paragraph is just about Hans, skip to the next one." Dirk groaned. "So long as he isn't making an ass of himself, I don't think any of us really care what he does."

Frederick gave his brother a pointed look before addressing the page. "…fine."

"_The festival itself has been delightful. Hans and I, along with Queen Helene and young Princess Josephine have taken a very engaging tour of Shultz farm east of Oskberg. I think I can safely say I've never picked so many apples in my life—" _Frederick paused as a few chuckles escaped him. _"and speaking of food! My goodness, darling—"_

"Oh, skip the mushy language please." Lars requested.

"Do you want me to read this to you or not?!"

"Ignore the trolls." Georg said and nodded in Frederick's direction. "Keep going, brother."

"Thank you." Frederick scanned the page to find where he left off. "_My goodness - it seems everywhere we turn there's plenty of it. I can't even tell you how many different pies, cookies and cakes I've tasted. Between local harvests directly at the farms to children's bake sales in town, there's never a shortage. And fear not, I have quite a few delicious samples to bring home for you to taste. Last week, Queen Helene and I went down to the royal kitchens and we helped the cook prepare some of her favorite delicacies. Of course, by help, I mean merely mixing some batter and providing pleasant conversation. Frau Hess wouldn't let us use knives or get too involved. She didn't want us to get our hands dirty—"_

"My god, she's making me hungry all over again." Viktor sighed and rubbed his stomach. "Hungry for everything that's _not_ on this table."

Frederick grinned. "She goes on about food for a bit longer. I'll spare your appetites and move on."

"_Anslas held an art showcase with the colorful changing of the leaves as the theme. There was a painting activity for local children in the park, and under a large set-up tent there was even an auction. I may or may not have splurged on a few pieces for the castle. I will say, out of many of the events and activities Hans and I attended together, this one was the one he was most excited about. Hans seemed very much in his element. We had a busy schedule and couldn't stay long, but I'm sure if we could have, Hans would have sat down and painted some of his own fall landscapes. He really enjoyed watching the young ones. We almost had to drag him back to the carriage._

_In Anerheim, there's going to be a concert held in the afternoon tomorrow. King Alastor of Malengrad will be going with me. He's been asking about you and how you've been. I'm sure you remember he was a close friend to your father. He hasn't—_

"Actually, I'll skip over that part." Frederick set the papers down briefly to take a drink from his water goblet.

"Well, it certainly sounds like she's been busy." Astor commented.

"Yes." Frederick nodded and gestured to the page. "She goes on a bit more about her shared time with the royal family and a few meetings with other ambassadors. Nothing that would really interest the rest of you."

"What about that page there?" Viktor asked, nudging the third page.

Frederick swapped papers and began to read silently. As his eyes moved along the page, his cheeks began reddening, and a quirky smile started growing on his face. About halfway down the paper, he snapped back to his senses and remembered he wasn't alone. He cleared his throat and refolded the parchment, tucking it safely into his pocket.

"Actually, I think that's enough news for one day."

"Oh no!" Derrick demanded. "That page has all the best parts!"

Dirk wolf-whistled. "I'd say the steamiest parts judging by how red his face is."

"Yes, well. This page is for my eyes only. The rest of you can enjoy your dessert. I think I'll just retreat back to my chambers." Frederick quickly rose from his seat and swept from the room, ignoring the snickering of his brothers.

He was relieved to find his master suite empty. It didn't take him long to settle down on the bed and fully engross himself in Charlotte's letter. When he made it to the bottom of the page, he started back up at the beginning again. With it being the only connection to his wife in weeks, he was afraid if he set the correspondence down, it would disappear. After a while, he traced his fingers along the page, letting himself be absorbed in his own little world.

"Charlotte would kill you if she saw you with your boots on the bed, you know."

Astor's sudden voice startled the king and he jolted from his reading. The page fell from his hands and his eyes snapped towards the doorway. "For god's sake… don't you knock?"

"I do. I was just enjoying the goofy look on your face. I've got to say, this is the most relaxed I've seen you since she left." Astor smirked and glanced down at the plate in his hands. "I went down to the kitchens to salvage some leftovers of roast and potatoes before Tomas got his hands on them. I know you said you weren't hungry but eat them anyway."

"That gluttonous pig." Frederick rolled his eyes. "Thank you. Just set it over there." He pointed to his desk. "I'll touch it later."

Astor set the plate down and walked across the suite to lean against the wooden footboard. "So… what else did Charlotte have to say?"

Frederick shifted on the bed, propping himself up with the bed pillows. "None of your business, as I told the lot of you."

Astor smirked, "C'mon, you can share with me. I _am_ the most mature out of the rest of us."

He certainly couldn't deny that. He chuckled and looked back at the letter fondly. "Most of the third page was of a very… intimate nature, however, she did write that there's going to be a ball held in King Wilhelm's honor this Saturday."

"Ah, that's tomorrow night then." Astor nodded. "That sounds like a fun time."

"Yes…" Frederick sighed, "though she wishes I was there. It's her first ball without my company. She… she misses me. Which is a relief for me to hear. I had assumed she didn't write because she was enjoying her time abroad to the fullest while I've been here missing her and feeling miserable." His hand went up to rub his forehead, "thank goodness she'll be home in just under two weeks."

"And I bet if you can just find a way to relax and keep your mind on your work instead of her absence, those ten days will just fly by."

"Somehow, I doubt that…"

"Hey." Astor moved and sat down on the edge of the mattress beside his older brother. "It's only seven more days in Rheland. The festival is almost over. If nothing happened this far, nothing probably will." He paused and stroked his chin, "I suppose there's nothing in her letter about foreign activity, or Rheland-Alvanian relations." Frederick shook his head. "Then try not to stress over it. Not the most ideal response, I know. But if you keep yourself as wound up as you've been, you'll go completely gray and your young wife will find herself married to an old man. It's not as if your inner worries are really going to change events anyway."

"No…" Frederick looked away towards the window for a moment. "I don't like this, Astor. I don't like not being in control. I don't like being helpless, merely waiting for something to happen. My gut tells me something is still wrong." He slid off the bed and started pacing the room. "My men abroad have never kept quiet for so long. If something has indeed happened, by the time I hear about it, it will be too late." Moving over to the window, he parted the curtains to glance outside. "Send word to the fleet admiral. Scatter a few of our ships to our southern territorial waters. I want them on standby, just in case."

* * *

Meanwhile, just outside of Etonsburg, a remote village in northern Alvania, one large military base was being cleared as soldiers started a trek east towards the Alvanian-Rheland border. Along the side of the dirt road not far beyond the camp's gates, they passed the bodies of two men in civilian attire with bullet holes through their chests. Near them on the ground were the remains of a blood-soaked parchment—the beginnings of what would have been an urgent message for King Frederick of the Southern Isles.


	6. In Honor of the King

Hans stalked up the stairs as he made his way back to his bedchamber. Downstairs, the gala was in full swing, and the music from the ballroom was filling the empty halls and stairwell. As he reached the top step, he rounded the corner and loosened his cravat. He couldn't wait to get back to his room and out of his formal attire.

Attending the ball wasn't originally on his agenda, but Charlotte talked him into going. For the most part, he was actually glad he went, too. The small chamber orchestra was lively, and he enjoyed several rounds on the dance floor. He even indulged Princess Josephine when she approached him, though the first dance was a bit awkward. The second time around was marginally better once he got the impression that she was no longer completely obsessed with him. Still, after the fourth waltz, he politely excused himself to the refreshment table and forced her to find another partner.

Dancing and sweets weren't the only things to capture his attention. In-between waltzes, he even got the chance to hold some interesting conversations with new faces from foreign kingdoms.

Hans closed the door behind him and let out a sigh as he shrugged off the tailcoat and royal sash. A part of him felt guilty for leaving the party so early. He didn't even give Charlotte much warning or explanation; only a quick goodnight and he was out the door.

The prince sank into an armchair and stared out at the flames in the fireplace. The warmth it brought was welcoming after spending his last portion of the party outside on the balcony. His mouth twisted into a frown as he ran his fingers through his auburn hair. He was under the impression that returning to his room would in some way make him feel better. Instead, he only felt alone. Which… he should have expected after spending so much time in a lively ballroom. But what's done is done. It would be too late to return to the ball now, especially after his goodbye to Charlotte.

He just knew he couldn't sit still. The lonely quietness of his room would only get on his nerves. And he wasn't tired, so going to bed wouldn't actually work either. After a few minutes of being idle, he made up his mind, and it certainly wasn't going to be spent alone staring at the fireplace. Jumping from the seat, he started unbuttoning his waistcoat. The formal attire came off, and on went a rougher ivory shirt, plain brown trousers, and riding boots.

It was almost frightening how much of a routine he's created during the last several weeks. He wasn't really paying attention to the directions he was taking after leaving his room, but sure enough, before he knew it, he was already outside on the path leading right into the stables.

"O-oh! Your highness!" The young stable-boy on duty exclaimed as he poked his head out of one of the stalls, "I didn't expect you tonight. I mean… with His Majesty's gala—"

Hans let out an awkward chuckle and shrugged his shoulders. "I was at the party, but there was a point where I couldn't take being around crowds any longer." He replied, trying to make it sound convincing. "I can only handle so much before seeking out some peace and quiet."

"A-ah." The young servant replied and scratched his cheek. He couldn't relate but remained polite about it to indulge the prince. "Well… uh, I was just finishing up the stalls. Did you want me to ready a horse for you?"

"Oh no." Hans shook his head, "It's too late for a ride. I was just going to relax with the horses." He paused, his eyes scanning the stables. "How… how would you like the rest of the evening off?"

The servant blinked. "O-off? Wow! I… I uh…" he cleared his throat and tried to regain some decorum. "That's very generous, but I couldn't possibly—what I mean is, what about the horses?"

"Well, you said you were nearly finished here anyway. I've tended to horses before, back home." Hans replied with a casual shrug. "I'm sure you've guessed, I spend a lot of time in my own stables, too. They'll be fine."

"Well… if you insist." The young man smiled shyly. "Thank you, your highness. I'll just finish this last stall and be on my way."

It was fifteen minutes later when the servant finally left the stables. Hans was grateful for the room to himself. Grabbing a brush off one of the nearby shelves, he then walked over to one of the far stalls. The large chocolate brown horse inside had been serving as his companion over the last few weeks. As soon as the door opened, the horse perked up and trotted over to him.

"Hey there, Cocoa." He smiled and rubbed his hand down the horse's face. "Miss me?" Cocoa let out a short whinny, causing Hans to laugh. "Probably not. I was just here yesterday." He cleared his throat and started to gently brush down Cocoa's side. "Usually, I'd be spilling my soul to Sitron—he's my steed back home. But I guess you probably knew that. I'm sure I've mentioned Sitron plenty of times. Heh. I suppose it's a good thing you horses can't get jealous. Not like…. Not like men do." Hans sighed, "you have no idea how lucky you are."

There was a long period of silence as Hans brushed the horse. He had told himself that he wouldn't let anyone, or anything ruin his evening. That despite everything, he was going to have a good time. And his entire reason for leaving the party early was to preserve his pleasant experience. Like a great many things in his life, it just didn't work.

"This was the last time I let Charlotte talk me into something." He sighed loudly, "I should have known things were too good to be true. Everything was fine, Cocoa. I met people. I got to dance. Heck, I even managed to get away from Princess Josephine before she became _too_ grabby. But all it took was one stupid, fleeting glance." His sighs began morphing into grumbles. "Here I thought getting some air on the balcony would be safe. Boy was I wrong. I looked to my left on a mere whim and there they were, standing on the next balcony over. Hand in hand….

…I think…"

Hans closed his eyes. He could still picture the scene as if he were still there. "She had this beautiful ivory gown with a purple sash—and-and this cute little matching jacket—" the horse whinnied, breaking him from his immediate thoughts. "—yeah, I'm sure you don't care one bit what Princess Anna was wearing. I mean, you're a horse. But _I care_. I didn't _want_ to care. But I did. _I do_. I can't help it." He stopped blathering to lament in silence.

_I suppose it's a good thing there wasn't anything stronger than champagne to drink or I really would have ruined myself…_

Still, he had the smallest consolation that he didn't get to see Anna and Oscar dancing together. Their appearance on that balcony prompted him to immediately retreat back inside before the pair even noticed him. And two glasses of champagne later, he had said his goodbyes and made his exit.

"I can't keep doing this." Hans sighed out loud. "I can't keep letting this bother me—letting _her_ bother me." He briefly set the brush down and ran his hand gently through the horse's mane. "I'll be going home in what, a week? Maybe less. I'll never see her again, and nothing here would matter. _Should_ matter. But god-damnit, it does. Because every time I see her, see her smile, see her happy, it makes me think she's in a good place, that she's moved on. That's a good thing, and I'm happy for her—even if her company is questionable at best…." He trailed off for a moment before stepping out of the stall. There was a barrel off to the side full of grain. He scooped some into a dish and brought it back for Cocoa. As soon as he set it on the ground, Cocoa started nibbling.

"It's just…" He leaned against the stall wall, "… I thought I had moved on, too. Obviously not." He sighed again, "Seeing her happy, especially on _Oscar_'s arm, makes me miserable. That could have—no, _should_ _have_ been _me_. But, as usual, I was a complete idiot and ruined everything. The feelings I have for her will never be returned. Not now. She'll go on and live a happy, fulfilling life surrounded by a warm family and friends, and I'll just be left behind, trapped in the hostility of my home with only my guilt to keep me company."

Hans wasn't entirely convinced spilling his secrets to this horse was a good idea. It certainly wasn't making him feel any better. And unlike the close bond he shared with Sitron, Cocoa didn't seem too phased by anything Hans had said at all and was more focused on the treats set before him.

"I guess there's no better time than now." He glanced down at his hands as they flexed in and out of fists. "Anna will never view me as anything but a monster, so I'm better off letting go. For my own sanity, I've just got to bury my jealousy until it withers and dies off."

He frowned, _So much for closure. If she's going to be borderline rude to me at every opportunity, I'm not going to bother bending over backwards to be pleasant anymore. It's—_

A loud banging sound outside interrupted him from his thoughts.

…_I didn't know they would be sending off fireworks._ Hans pushed off the wall, listening for another explosion. The next few moments were silent, so he dismissed it and returned his attention to Cocoa. All of the grain was gone, and the steed was nudging into his arm. Figuring he wanted more, Hans reached down to retrieve the empty dish when another bang went off. And another. Now, Hans was curious, and he set the dish aside outside the stall and moved to stand in the doorway to the stables. His eyes hit the skies when another crack sounded in the distance, but there were no signs of an explosion in the air.

A sinking feeling began to form in his stomach. The loud noise was getting louder every time it went off now. Whatever it was, it was coming closer. And it certainly wasn't coming from above him. Then, there was shouting off in the distance, too, and Hans suddenly knew exactly what the noise was, and was mentally scolding himself for not recognizing it sooner.

Gunfire.

He wasn't sure what was going on outside, but he didn't want to find out first-hand. He quickly closed the door to the stables and worked to secure Cocoa in his stall. It was too dangerous for him to retreat back to the castle now. All he could do was stay put until the shots stopped.

* * *

"It's a beautiful night." Anna smiled and closed her eyes. The cool evening breeze felt wonderful on her face.

"It really is." Oscar agreed and leaned against the balcony railing beside her.

Anna peered at the lit grounds below. A few guards were on patrol, but otherwise there was no one wandering about. Everyone was inside the ballroom. While she was thoroughly enjoying the festivities, the ballroom was a bit warm from the crowds. Thank goodness for the open balconies to provide some relief. "So, what's left for the festival?" She asked.

"Not much, I'm afraid. Papa will be delivering a speech on Monday in the center of Oskberg to close off the event. This ball is the last major engagement."

Anna nodded slowly and turned to face her companion. "Then that's it. Everyone will start going home."

Oscar's mouth twisted upwards at the corners. "I won't lie. I think I'll be happy when everyone departs, and things go back to normal around here. I miss the peace and quiet of these castle walls."

"I think I'm eager to get home, too," Anna replied thoughtfully, "I do miss Elsa."

"But, you're not _too_ eager, are you?" Oscar prompted her, "I'm going to miss your company. I've gotten quite used to you being here."

Anna reached out to gently pat his hand. "I know. But there's always letters."

He shrugged. "Written correspondence pales in comparison to seeing your beautiful face every day."

"Flatterer." Anna tried hard to fight the blush working its way onto her cheeks. It's not as if his compliments were new to her at this stage. Still, it would be nice if she could maintain a straight face just once. She turned away to glance back at the grounds below.

There was a good pause between them until Oscar broke the silence. "At the risk of sounding far too repetitive for my liking, I suppose I'm left wondering if you've given any final thoughts to…well… _us_."

"Oscar…." Anna sighed. She should have anticipated the prince bringing it up at some point in the evening.

"…only our date—"

"—you mean our picnic." Anna clarified.

"—It went rather well."

_It was a nice afternoon_, Anna thought. She still didn't have a definitive answer for him, and part of her felt a twinge of guilt for potentially leading him on. "You know, the last time a man was actively seeking my hand and I sprung it on my sister, she froze out the entire kingdom."

"Then I have the advantage." He replied confidently. "The Queen and I have met before."

Anna sighed. _…That's not the point I was trying to make…_. In a way, it actually was, but her mind was in such a conflicted jumble that she didn't quite know what she wanted, what she wanted to say, or how to even express it. His gaze finally left her, and she took that opportunity to really look him over. Oscar was attractive, attentive, kind, gentlemanly. She certainly liked those traits about him. But there were so many others that she's met in the past that were pleasing to her, and she denied all of _them_.

What was it about this crowned prince that had her torn to pieces? The more she thought about it, she knew very little about him. A lot of their conversations came from the festival. Or Arendelle. She was even certain that she's spoken more about her sister and her magic than he's done about himself and his personal interests. _…that's what courting is for though, isn't it? Learning about each other?_ Oscar certainly made for a great friend, that much was true. But what about partner?

She had been down this road before with Kristoff. The rude rugged mountain man from her first impressions turned into a softie with a heart of gold, and through their unexpected adventure to and from the North Mountain, he proved himself to be a wonderful friend. So wonderful, in fact, that at her lowest point, she believed the man to be her true love—and all she had to go on was some advice from a talking snowman.

To a degree, it was true. Kristoff certainly loved her, and she loved him. But it wasn't true love. They were from different worlds, and as time went on, they both agreed they weren't compatible. One of her biggest regrets was clinging to that relationship as long as she did and stringing him along. Thank goodness he took the separation and emotional blow well, and their friendship didn't suffer too badly in the long run. It was a little awkward for a while afterwards, but time made things easier.

She thought back to Oscar's picnic. The weather was nice, and the food he picked was delicious. But what did they talk about? Her. The festival. Anna frowned, realizing that once again, she had the reins to the conversation and didn't even use it to her advantage. Nor did she take advantage of the fact that they had an entire afternoon _unchaperoned_. They ate, followed a walking path, and skipped stones in a stream. She didn't even tease-splash him with water like she always did with Elsa and Kristoff when they were down at the fjord's shore; or tempt him with a race in the meadow to see how fast he could chase after her. Nothing physical. Nothing energetic. Nothing _fun. _As a whole, she could tell that he _really_ enjoyed the afternoon. She did to a degree also, and tried to think of it as a date, to test the waters of her insecurities, to give him a chance. She expected her heart to flutter the way it did during their previous outings, or to feel tingles going down her spine whenever their hands touched. She wanted sparks to ignite some inner desire that this man really could be _the one_ and want her to explore an actual courtship. But in the end, it didn't feel like one. It felt like she had lunch and a mere walk with Kristoff. Well, a Kristoff in fancy clothes and great-smelling-cologne.

And she didn't want another Kristoff.

In the end, would it really be different with Oscar? Since the moment she arrived in Rheland, he had been trying to captivate her and win her favor. And now that the festival was ending and her days in the kingdom were numbered, his efforts had intensified. He was a man on a mission, and his drive put a sour thought in her mind.

_Why me? What could he possibly see in me and want that badly? _She had always described herself as rather ordinary, despite what Elsa and Kristoff said. _Is it really __**me**__ he's after? Or something else? Is he desiring me for a purpose? Obviously, Oscar isn't after Elsa's throne, or my title. He's already a crowned prince in his own right. This entire kingdom will rightfully be his someday. He's a king in the making. I'm just the spare. _She frowned and looked away from him. _He could have any girl he wants. I'm surprised there isn't a group of young women vying for his attention… hoping to score their way to becoming a future queen. But everyone is leaving him alone. Why is that? Is… is there something about him that I don't know? Some dark inner secret? If that's so… I don't think I could endure another ill-matched suitor. In fact… this whole scenario reminds me of—god, I hate to say it—__**Hans. **__Courting with an agenda. Well, in Hans' case, __**proposing**__ with an agen—ugh. Whatever._

_Hans! I bet that's why I'm so lost over all of this. Just seeing him again is making me think the worst in Oscar! He's making me second guess everything, just out of fear of me screwing things up _again_ and having to deal with another round of consequences. Focus, Anna, focus. Other than being rather forward… perhaps a bit pushy, Oscar hasn't done anything wrong. I suppose it's only natural on his part to chase after a potential bride if she's in a prime position. If he isn't proactive, then he'll just miss his chance. N-not just about me, but in life. Like when there's a limited supply of chocolate Danish at the bakery and I oversleep. By the time I get there, they're all sold out._

_Right, Anna. Only you would compare life lessons to chocolate. Yeesh…_

Another strong breeze came through and she rubbed her arms. The temperature was dropping, and now the cool air was beginning to bother her. "Why… why don't we go back inside. It's getting chilly out here." She didn't give Oscar much chance to reply when she pushed away from the balcony and returned to the ballroom. Oscar followed after her, and when she paused, he leaned over to whisper to her.

"Champagne?"

"Sure," She smiled softly and watched him cross the edge of the ballroom to the refreshments table. She managed to evade the burning question. This time. It was only a matter of time before she _had_ to give him an answer. She just hoped she would give him the right one.

While she waited for him to come back, she scanned the room. Most of the guests were waltzing. However, Queen Charlotte was standing off near the marble columns. What a perfect opportunity to finally socialize! She started to cross the room but stopped in her tracks. The Queen was approached by a few gentlemen in military uniforms, and before long, they were engaged in conversation. Anna frowned. With everything ending, finding time to talk to her old neighbor was getting harder. Especially getting her alone, without Hans in tow. Perhaps she could catch the woman at the end of the party and arrange a lunch before they part ways. They've had so little opportunities to catch up.

"Ah, there you are." Oscar approached and handed Anna her champagne flute. When she didn't take it right away, he glanced over at her. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine." She finally responded and took the glass. "Just thinking."

His mouth twisted more into a frown, "If it's about what I said before—"

Anna immediately shook her head. "No, it's okay." She took a few sips and passed the empty glass off to a passing footman. "How about we just enjoy the rest of the party."

* * *

At the end of the waltz, everyone split off and moved to the sides of the ballroom as King Wilhelm stood up from his throne and made the way to the center of the room.

"Kings, queens, lords and ladies. My dearest friends," the monarch smiled warmly and opened his arms as if embracing everyone. "It has been my deepest pleasure to have you all here tonight. Everyone in this household will tell you this ball is for me, but I disagree. Tonight, I want to celebrate the success of our wonderful festival. As some of you may recall…."

Anna smiled as she listened to King Wilhelm address the room, and laughed along with the rest of the crowd, when the king tried—and failed—to throw in a bit of lame humor. But something sounded odd. There was a strange, faint noise. She glanced around curiously, trying to locate the source.

Oscar took notice to her behavior and leaned over, "Are you alright, Anna?"

"I heard something just now." She responded quietly. "Did you?"

"No. What was it?"

"I'm not sure," she shrugged. _Maybe it was just my imagination._ After listening intently for any sort of background noise and hearing nothing for several minutes, she redirected her attention back to the king.

Then she heard it again. But this time, it seemed Oscar did, too. Now he was glancing about as well.

"I think it came from outside?" She finally whispered back and nudged his arm. The two of them were towards the back of the crowd near the balconies, and if they were to slip away, it wouldn't be noticed by too many people.

Oscar turned his head toward the outer doors and listened closely. "Firecrackers perhaps. After all, tonight is one for celebrations."

Anna was satisfied with that answer and decided not to dwell on it further.

"…of course, credit tonight cannot go to me alone." King Wilhelm continued, "As usual, the mastermind behind Rheland's spectacular galas is my wife, our beloved queen," He smiled and guested towards where Queen Helene was standing in the crowd. "And I must say, each event of hers always seems to exceed the last." He stopped long enough for the audience to give a healthy applause. Helene's cheeks turned as pink as her ballgown, and she stepped forward to embrace her husband for his kind dedication.

When the applause died down, Wilhelm smiled and clasped his hands together. But, there is one final bit of praise I must hand out this night before we return to merry drink and dancing, and eventually retire."

"The Harvest festival is one of our kingdom's most cherished traditions, and it has been left behind for far too many years as our land mottled through some more troublesome times. And now, with a new era of peace and prosperity, it was only right to give this beloved event a revival of sorts. A new age calls for newer, fresher ideas, and who better to deliver them than the very future of our kingdom. Our crowned prince has been instrumental in ensuring the success of the festival, not just here in Oskberg, but in many of the surrounding villages across the land. Now, this festival was only the beginning, as he takes on more duties and comes into his own and prepares for the ultimate day that he follows in my footsteps. Therefore everyone, if you would all give a round of applause to my son and heir, Oscar."

Anna clapped her hands excitedly and with a huge smile on her face, turned to look at Prince Oscar. His cheeks had pinkened significantly as he waved to the crowd. He must not have been expecting the king to give him such public praise. After the initial shock wore off, he didn't seem too bothered or embarrassed by the sudden attention. She was incredibly happy for her friend, to have so much of his hard work acknowledged and appreciated. Now she also understood why he enjoyed talking to her so extensively about the festival. So much of himself went into the organization and the planning. How could he not want to show it off and boast about his achievement.

It took a few seconds for the cheering to fade out. As the mass crowd silenced, there was still one person in the room still clapping. But it wasn't quick, energetic applause. It was slow, as if in a sarcastic or mocking manner.

Anna, as well as the majority of the crowd, glanced around to find the source of the claps. Her eyes soon landed on a trio of men standing inside the ballroom doorway. She couldn't get a good look at the two standing in the back, but the man in front was walking forward towards the center of the room.

Right for King Wilhelm and Queen Helene.

Anna wondered who this man was, since it was obvious that he and his companions just arrived. All of them still wore their long, black greatcoats. Most of the glimpses she could get of him were through the gaps in between people until she eventually moved towards an open spot near the front of the crowd. The stranger appeared to be in his thirties, and while he wasn't as tall as Oscar and some of the other gentlemen in the room, he was broad. His light brown hair was neatly combed to one side. As he moved past her, she could see a red and grey insignia banded on his left sleeve. It wasn't a kingdom she recognized.

Movement across the ballroom caught her attention. It was Queen Charlotte—the light from the chandelier was reflecting off of her tiara. It didn't escape Anna's notice that the woman had a nervous, perhaps fearful expression growing on her face. And when she followed Charlotte's own gaze towards the ballroom entrance, a similar sinking feeling formed in her own stomach. The two other men that had arrived were now flanking the door, and several more men had entered the ballroom, closing the double doors behind them.

Anna's mind began racing. Who did this man think he was, barging in on a royal ball uninvited? She thought back to all of the kingdoms invited to the festival. There was only one that never made any appearances throughout the entire month.

The one country everyone was worried about in the backs of their minds.

Alvania.

_That would mean…_

"Bravo… how incredibly moving." The man replied, interrupting Anna's thoughts. His vocal tone was smooth, rich and had a commanding air to it. He was certainly someone who had no trouble being heard. Or respected.

He stopped walking, and now Anna had a good view of his face and she stared at it for a long time. There was something about it that seemed... familiar. But that didn't make any sense. She had never seen this man before now.

King Wilhelm looked the man over, recognizing the emblem on the man's sleeve. "Ah! Viktor Beker, I presume?" At the man's barely-there nod, Wilhelm smiled. "Welcome!"

"It's a pleasure to have you here." Queen Helene added, far softer spoken than her husband. "This is a pleasant surprise. I thought we weren't to expect you."

Viktor Beker looked down at the hand stretched out before him and hesitated until it was borderline awkward for the king to be offering it for so long. Only then did he grasp it with his black-gloved hand for a shake. There was no respectful bow to either the king or the queen. When he released Wilhelm's hand, he did turn his head to address Helene, "Yes, well. Plans do change." He glanced around the room, "though, it may seem I've missed the most of your party."

"Nonsense!" Wilhelm bellowed. "There's still plenty of time for merriment. The night is young. Come. I'll have someone take your coat." He started to wave a servant over.

"-No." Beker said suddenly, cutting off the king. "No, thank you. I'd rather leave it on. You see… this meeting of ours won't last long."

"But… you've traveled such a long way," Helene said, and now noticed the group of Alvanian men blocking the doorway. "You and your … companions. Don't you wish to relax?"

"There'll be plenty of time for that later, I assure you." Beker replied and clasped his hands behind his back and turned his attentions back to Wilhelm. "Though, I will say, I'm glad I arrived when I did. I didn't miss a single word of your speech… _Your Majesty._"

Beker's tone didn't go unnoticed from the monarch. Between that and the unusual amount of men he brought with him, he, too, was starting to feel uneasy. He turned to his wife and gently put his hand out, ushering her back into the crowd. Whatever Beker wanted to say, it didn't have to involve his queen. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Helene retreat back until she was standing beside Princess Josephine.

"You must be very proud, to uphold some of your oldest traditions after all this time." Beker said.

"Yes, we are." Wilhelm replied, never taking his eyes off the Alvanian. Not even when Beker broke his stance and began circling the monarch.

"In Alvania, we too were working to a similar goal. A lot of our customs have been lost over the years. However, we have made great strides. And now? Alvania is stronger than ever." He could hear the murmurs of the crowd all around them. He was glad that the monarch dismissed his wife. What he had to say to Wilhelm was meant for the king's ears only. Now standing in front again, facing him, he stepped forward to close off a lot of the distance between them. "But there was one part of your speech that does not hold true. Your misguided talks about the importance of relationships. Of allies. Of _Family_…"

"Can you hear what he's saying?" Oscar asked, his sudden appearance beside Anna making her jump. "Sorry."

Anna pressed her hands to her chest and shook her head. "No." She replied and glanced to Oscar. Looking up his face suddenly make her gasp. Now she knew why Beker looked familiar to her. _His hair is different… his eyes are different… but…. _"Hey…" Anna said softly, "have you seen that man before?"

"Viktor Beker? No. Never. When Alvania became independent those years ago, Father traveled to Warwick Castle to sign the formal secession papers."

Anna frowned. She couldn't be the only one to notice the similarities between the two men. She glanced to Queen Helene. She was just standing close to Beker minutes before. Surely, _she _would notice how the Alvanian chancellor somewhat resembled her own son, and by extension, the king himself. But Helene wasn't looking at Beker, or her husband. At the moment, her eyes were locked on the Alvanians in the back of the room. With every passing moment they appeared more menacing. And as Anna's eyes scanned the room again, she noticed that none of the Rheland-uniformed guards were present anymore.

"…you and I both know my invitation was surely to improve your image to the realm." Beker spoke barely above a whisper. "You've always been one to show off. Of being a generous, charitable leader like that of your predecessors. Where was that charity when my people were suffering at the hands of your biased policies? Where was your support when you made those many tours throughout your territorial lands? Each and every time we have called out for help, you have snubbed us. You may not remember, but we do. We Alvanians remember everything. So please—don't stand before me with an air of camaraderie. The time for amends has long, long passed."

Wilhelm's eyes narrowed and he responded just as quiet, "If you're not here to celebrate with us, Viktor Beker, then why are you here?"

"I'm here for _her_."

"Her _who_?"

"Katerina." The instant look of recognition on the king's face gave Beker such an adrenaline rush and his left hand slipped unseen deep into his coat pocket. "You remember her, don't you, old man? I know you do. The young Alvanian woman who gave you everything all those years ago? The one you _betrayed_? I know you can see her. Her eyes are my own eyes. They bear so much anger and resentment, hers and my own. You have wronged her just as your kingdom have wronged my people. But most importantly, your talks of how proud you are of your _family_ have wronged _m_e_. _For I was the one you cast out into the dark. Discarded, like trash. Just like _her_." Beker spat and kept his head held high, his voice slowly becoming louder with each new statement. "It was she who fashioned me into the man I am today. A man to rise above my circumstance. To prove my worth. To challenge the institution. To be the spark that ignites the flame of change. Your queen stands where _she_ should have. Your heir where _I_ should have. But the past cannot change. Only the future. And it's a future without _you_."

"W-Wilhelm?" Queen Helene's voice broke the silence from the audience as she nervously took a step forward. But it was all too late.

For everyone in the room, what happened next seemed to appear as if it were occurring in slow-motion, without anyone being able to put a stop to it.

Viktor Beker took a step back and let out a dark chuckle. "This entire ball was in your honor. To praise you for your hard work over the years. Well, here's your praise." His left hand whipped out of his pocket, a pistol tight in his grip, and in one swift arch it went up to stop before Wilhelm's chest. "Long live the king."

A deafening shot was heard.

King Wilhelm was dead.


	7. Prisoners

Anna trembled and pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders. She was back in her bedchamber, far from the gruesome murder scene in the ballroom. However, she felt far from safe. The castle was no longer warm and inviting. Not with King Wilhelm gone.

_King Wilhelm…._ Anna sniffled, and wiped her nose with her index finger. She tried so hard no to think about what happened downstairs. She had already retched into a chamber pot once and didn't want a repeat performance. Unfortunately, what she saw was far too traumatizing to block out. With her room so quiet, she could still hear the horrified screams of the people—mostly women—in the crowd, though none screamed louder than Queen Helene and Princess Josephine. Their pitched cries were like a constant ringing in her ears. It was even worse when she closed her eyes. She could picture King Wilhelm's lifeless body crumpled in the center of the floor with a pool of blood growing larger beneath him.

Everyone's last moments in the ballroom were chaotic. Those closest to the doors tried to leave, but the Alvanian soldiers blocked the way. It seemed like an eternity before Beker managed to get the panicked screeching to stop so he could address the room and take command of the situation. Anna couldn't remember exactly what the Chancellor said. She was too distracted the royal family. But once his speech was over, soldiers had rounded up the guests and began escorting them out.

A few more tears started falling down her cheek and she used the corner of her blanket to wipe them away. The late-king wasn't the only member of the family to face violence. Prince Oscar had lunged for Beker once the king fell, but he was roughly pulled back by Alvanians stationed in the crowd. He even tried to pull the ceremonial sword hanging at his hip to fight back, but was struck in the head with the butt of a soldier's rifle for his efforts. It wasn't enough to knock him out, but it left a good trail of blood running down the side of his face. Oscar's final stand came when another soldier came for _her_ and grabbed her arm to take her away. The prince had wrestled free to try to protect her. Only a desperate plea from the queen to Beker made the roughhousing against the prince stop. Shifting the blanket off to the side, she could still see the red blood stain on her left shoulder.

"I hope he's alright…." She sighed out loud. When she was being escorted out, she last saw Oscar standing before his father and clutching his sobbing sister. Helene was on the floor with her arms throwing over her husband. No doubt, it would be the last time they'd ever lay eyes on the king.

_Now what's going to happen?_

Anna glanced over to the locked door. Not long after she was brought back, a higher ranked officer barged into her room. He never introduced himself. He only asked her several questions about who she was, what kingdom she hailed from, and the specific inquiries about Arendelle and their neighborly relations. She didn't have answers to every one of his inquiries, and before she got the chance to turn the tables on him and demand answers of her own, he left and locked the door behind him.

Her mind started racing. What if she was going to be stuck here for a while? What would become of her? And what did the Alvanians want, anyway? If Beker and his men came for King Wilhelm, well… that's done. What else could they possibly need from the rest of the guests? She let out a gasp. _What if they wanted some sort of ransom? They'd write to Elsa… oh gods. What—er—__**how**__ would she react? A-And Kristoff? They'll be so worried when they find out what's happened…._

_Will the rest of us end up sharing Wilhelm's fate? What about Helene, Oscar and Josephine? What will befall them? They're the ones in the most danger._

There were too many questions and no answers to put her at any sort of peace.

* * *

Hans wiped some sweat from his brow as he navigated his way through the lower floors of the castle's servant wing. Every hallway was empty. Eerily empty. The only men around were Alvanian soldiers as they stood guard over every exit out of the castle. And he made sure they didn't get a glimpse of him.

_These intruders must have everyone confined in their rooms…. Or somewhere else. _He thought to himself. He was fortunate that he hadn't been interrupted in his wandering and taken prisoner. Again.

Fortunate, or just plain lucky. A rarity for him.

Hans supposed he was already on some sort of streak. After all, he wasn't shot on sight when Alvanian soldiers burst into the barn hours earlier. And he was thankful that the years of dodging his elder brothers made him quick on his feet. While waiting for inevitable, he had purposefully soiled up his appearance. When they came for him, he led them to believe he was merely the stable-hand on duty that night, and back to the castle he went, along with his armed escort. He was certain he would have been detained with the other staff once they got back inside but thank goodness the one guard tailing him was called away to complete 'the mission'—whatever that was. He was left with the threat to return to his room without detour, and if he wasn't there when they did a check, he would be hunted down and shot on sight.

_Pleasant thoughts._

One thing was for certain. He couldn't stay in the lower levels of the castle forever. He _had_ to find out what happened to Charlotte. Further, he had to find out what was going on.

He was about to turn the corner at a stairwell when he stopped dead in his tracks. In the distance at the top of the stairs was another armed guard blocking the door.

_Well shit…._ Hans flattened himself against the wall and stealthily glanced around the corner. He didn't anticipate the access to the main floors to be guarded as well. Somewhere, somehow, there had to be a way up. It wouldn't do him any good to be trapped below for too long. Especially if his escort came back. That would certainly be the end of him—and maybe Charlotte as well. And he certainly couldn't stay in this one spot and ponder what to do. There was the slim chance that the guard may have spotted him—or at least his shadow on the ground. Keeping his body pressed against the stone, he backtracked down the corridor until he felt he was at a safe distance, then he started opening doors. This was going off the assumption that most, if not all, of these rooms were empty simply because there were no Alvanians around to watch hostages. And if they had to pull soldiers from the servant's wing for some other task, then the important action was likely taking place upstairs.

But how long would they _stay_ upstairs?

_One of these rooms has to have something that could help…._

Two unhelpful halls later, he found himself in the kitchen. To immense surprise, the cook and her many kitchen maids were present and seemingly left alone.

"Y-y-your highness!" The plump older woman exclaimed and placed her hands on her cheeks in shock. "Goodness, y-you're—"

"Shhh!" Hans rushed over and clamped a hand over her mouth. "Don't talk, just nod. Do you understand?" He looked around the rest of the room, indicating that the request was for everyone, not just the cook.

She nodded, and so did the rest of the staff.

"Is everyone alright?" He whispered.

She nodded again.

"Are you being watched?"

"y-yes." The youngest maid near him squeaked out and immediately covered her mouth.

Hans sighed and looked around the kitchen. Many of the young girls had a look of fear in their eyes. Whatever was going on upstairs, the effects had already began trickling down to the staff.

"Do you know what's happened?" He whispered directly to the cook.

Tears started building up in her eyes as she nodded. She reached up to tap his hand. He took the hint and removed it from her mouth. "H-his m-majesty…" she choked out. She opened her mouth again, but nothing came out this time.

"… it's ok. Never mind." Hans whispered and urgently turned back towards the doorway. If these women really were under observation, he didn't want to linger. "Is there another way out of here? I can't get back upstairs."

"There's a back stairway." Another kitchen-maid came forward and gestured towards the pantry. "It makes a stop outside the dining room, and then continues to each floor until reaching the royal chambers. It's how we serve the meals."

"Do _they_ know about it?" He asked.

"I don't think so." The cook replied and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Then I'll try it. It's the only shot I have." He started to cross the kitchen. "Please. If anyone asks, I was never here."

He didn't waste any more time. He bolted for the stairs and took them two at a time. And to his immense relief, there was no guard at the first landing. Still, he hesitated before opening the door. This was the first exit he came across. That meant this led right to the dining room. Walk out here wouldn't be the smartest course of action. The main floor would no doubt be full of activity and for all he knew, he could walk right into a trap and be shot on sight.

Hans backed away from the door and started up the next set of stairs, skipping the second landing and going to the third to tempt fate. His palms were sweating, and he wiped his hands on his trousers before gripping the doorknob.

_Slowly now…_.

To his immense relief, the corridor was empty. Now all that he needed to do was regain his bearings.

_I suppose I should have asked what part of the castle this was. I don't know these halls all that well. Think, Hans, think. The dining room was in the east wing…. I think. So, unless this hidden stairwell was windier than I thought, I should still be there. Now, my room and Charlotte's are both in the north wing. And at least, if this really is the third floor, I won't have to any more steps to reach her. That is, assuming she's even in her room._

It didn't even occur to him until that moment that she might still be in the ballroom. Or virtually anywhere else in the castle. But there wasn't much time to mentally debate the issue. There were shadows moving on the floor further down the corridor. Someone was coming. Moving fast, he ducked into the first door he came across. It was a conference room, thankfully empty, but from the sounds of footsteps outside, it may not stay empty for long. He quickly scanned the room. Meeting table, chairs, and a few short cupboards along the walls. Nowhere real practical to hide. The only potential place would be behind the full window curtains. It would have to do. He bolted behind the drapes and let out a huge sigh of relief. These weren't just windows. They were _doors_ to a small balcony. He could hide outside! And there was just enough time to perch himself in his hiding place when the doors to the chamber opened, allowing several men inside.

"_I'd say that went rather well._" Said the first voice. From the tone, it sounded to come from an older gentleman.

"_Yes. The castle take-over is complete._" Said another.

Curiosity was getting to Hans. He strained to hear what was going on inside. The balcony door was still open a sliver. Just enough for him to hear without letting any breeze blow the drapes and give away his location. He wanted to learn more about the situation at hand. All he had to go off was the king's name.

_If the castle really has been taken over, then the royal family will probably be confined somewhere, just like the serving staff._

"_What of the king's body?"_ Another man spoke. "_I think we all agree we care very little to what happens to him now, but the corpse cannot just remain in that ballroom."_

_Wha—King Wilhelm is __**dead**__?!_ Hans' eyes widened in shock. _That certainly explains everyone's panic in the kitchens._

"_We'll leave that up to Chancellor Beker when he returns."_ The first voice replied.

"_Where has he gone?"_

"_He and the king's former assistant were off in the study looking for something._"

Hans raised a hand to part the curtains just enough to see. There were more men in the chamber than he realized. Two guards at the door, and three military officers surrounding the far end of the table. Two appeared middle aged, the third, he assumed to be the oldest due to his graying hair and numerous medals and decorations adorning his uniform. He held a stack of papers in his hands and was rifling through them.

Hans' hand immediately retracted and he shrank back against the outer wall when the conference doors opened. One of them was a servant, most likely the previously mentioned assistant based on the way he was dressed. That would mean the other man was Viktor Beker. After waiting a few minutes for his pounding heartrate to return to normal, he returned to his eavesdropping stance.

"_Is everyone confined to quarters?_" Beker asked.

"_Yes, sir."_ The older man replied and passed his leader the papers. _"This is what I've collected from my rounds._"

"_Ah, yes._" Beker nodded and placed them down on the table. _"Let's take a look at our honored guests—"_

"—_You mean King Wilhelm's guests!"_ The servant standing off to the side said in a sudden outburst.

Beker raised a brow and glanced over his shoulder. _"Late-King-Wilhelm—"_

"_Queen Helene's then!"_ The man rebuked. "_This is __**their**__ land. This is __**their**__ home! And you and your kind are not welcome here!"_

"_Silence, you worm!"_ One of the other officers barked back, and he raised his hand to strike.

"_No, stop."_ Beker said calmly and quickly. He placed his hands on his man's shoulders to settle him. "_Let this man be, Sturgis. After all, we have only just arrived, and it will take time for him and the rest of the staff to adjust to their new masters."_

"_NEVER!"_

Beker sighed and motioned for one of the soldiers at the door. _"Take our young friend here back to the servant's wing, would you? I have no more need for his services this night."_ He turned to watch the men leave. "_Just be prepared. I'll be giving your staff instructions first thing in the morning. And I expect full cooperation from everyone._" The threat in his voice did not go unnoticed.

Once alone, Beker turned to his older comrade. _"I take it the staff was secured as well, Andersen?"_

"_Yes, sir. All but the kitchen maids, though we are keeping eyes on them."_

"_Good, good."_ Beker nodded and sank down in the empty end chair. He turned his attention back to the stack of papers. A frown formed as he compared parchment, he brought along to the ones Andersen gave him. "_Interesting. Based on the glitz and glam of the guests tonight, I expected a lot of more royal attendees."_

"_Domestic nobility, sir. Extended family and regional aristocrats of Rheland."_

"_Yes, I can see that now. Ah!" _He formed a slight smile as he scanned a page. _"King Alastor of Malengrad. I am familiar with him."_ He nodded his head here and there as he found more names in the guest list. "_Well, well, what have we here? A lone queen in our midst!"_

"_Who?" _Sturgis asked.

"_Queen Charlotte of the Southern Isles."_ Beker replied with an intriguing grin forming across his face. "_I look forward to making her acquaintance."_

The mere mentioning of Charlotte made Hans' heart race all over again, and his hands flexed in and out of fists. He couldn't bear listen to these Alvanians and the unpleasant manner that they discussed his brother's wife.

Charlotte wasn't the only reason he began to grow nervous. If Beker's men were keeping tabs on the guests, how soon would they discover he was missing? Have they been to his room? Would they go on a manhunt searching the castle from top to bottom? Would they go after Charlotte for information?

As the men inside continued to discuss the guest list—or as Hans thought of it, the list of hostages—a new sour feeling formed in his gut. What did Beker want? He couldn't have come all this way just to kill King Wilhem. And why do so in the first place? Political statement? Alvania was already an alienated country thanks to its barbaric history. What did they plan to do with everyone else? Did they want demands from other kingdoms? Is this all a stunt for random?

"… _we'll hold position here to allow time for our forces to fully commandeer Rheland's resources."_

"_It's not just Rheland's, but the surrounding lands, too." _Beker explained, "_As you all know, this was only step one. To continue our mission, we will need all of our strength before going out to sea. Claiming Armensgrad for our own was just the beginning. Our toughest challenges await once our campaign spreads to the north…."_

Hans swallowed hard as he continued to eavesdrop. _So, this isn't the only stop? Are they planning to go after every damn location in the realm? What good would that serve?_

"…_Arendelle will be the biggest threat to our campaign."_ Andersen said. "_Queen Elsa and her unholy magic will have to be neutralized. And we can't rule out the navy of the Southern Isles…._"

As much as he should continue, he couldn't bear to listen in anymore. It was even more important that he find Charlotte _now._ One last peek through the curtains told him the men weren't planning on leaving anytime soon. With no way back inside the castle, his only choice now was to go on foot through the grounds outside. Pushing away from the castle wall, he stepped to the edge of the balcony and peered down. Scaling the wall from the third floor wasn't ideal, nor would it be easy. There were no nearby trees or shrubbery to help his climb.

With a deep breath, he swung a leg over the railing. _Well, here goes nothing._

* * *

Finding his way in the dark was just as hard as he imagined it would be. Hans spent more time crawling behind bushes and getting flat on the ground more than he did walk. Though in some instances, he managed to slip through an open servant's entrance and dash down dark, empty corridors. He didn't dare try to return to the main floor of the castle. He kept to the shadows until he found another exit to the outdoors. And he let out a tremendous sigh of relief when he came across the familiar square garden. And to top it off, there were no guards patrolling the immediate area.

_Almost there._

Hans glanced around to get his bearings. One of the many balconies above belonged to him. Charlotte's room faced the garden from a different corridor. He had spent one afternoon in her room, and he tried to remember how her view was oriented. Of course, just getting to Charlotte meant climbing the wall again. The thought made him groan. Climbing _down_ the first time was hard enough. There weren't many deep ridges in the stone for him to securely grab.

It took a while, but he managed to get onto the balcony in question. A loud grunt escaped his lips after he practically threw himself onto the ledge from the wall, and it was a bit of a shock to his system hitting the floor so hard. Once the pain wore off, he turned his head to look into the room. The heavier drapes were still pulled back, and through the sheers, he could see right in. The fireplace was lit, and he was immensely relieved to see Charlotte inside, pacing back and forth by the hearth. She was still dressed head-to-toe in her formal wear from the party. The light from the fireplace was reflecting off of the diamonds of her tiara.

"Charlotte!" he hissed and rapt his knuckles on the glass of the door. It only occurred to him afterwards that this could also be some type of trap, and she may not be alone in the room. But it was too late now. Tempting fate again, he banged a bit harder this time to get her attention. "Hey!"

That got the queen's attention and she stopped in her pacing to glance about. Once her eyes landed on his form, she rushed to the doors and yanked them open. Hans didn't waste any time crawling inside. Once safe, and the doors closed behind him, he collapsed down on his back onto a soft area rug near the fireplace.

"Hans!" Charlotte exclaimed in a hushed voice. Her hands went up to cover her mouth as she quickly looked him over. Once the shock of his sudden appearance wore off, she lifted up her skirts to drop onto her knees and threw her arms around him. "Heavens, thank goodness you're alright! How on earth—"

Her hug felt wonderful, but the affection quickly felt like it was smothering him. He gently pried her off and forced himself into more of a sitting position. The chaise lounge wasn't too far, so he scooted back and leaned up against it. "Well, it's a bit of a long story." He replied, not wanting to get into the gritty details too quickly. "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

"No-no, I'm alright." She shifted and sat on the floor beside him. "Physically, at least. To put it mildly, it's been a terrible few hours."

"I can imagine." Hans replied with a frown. "What exactly transpired earlier? I only know bits and pieces."

"What exactly _do_ you know?"

"Only that the king is dead. That and the castle is swarming with Alvanian soldiers."

Charlotte nodded. "Viktor Beker and his men showed up at the ball during the king's speech. I think this was all some sort of ploy to kill Wilhelm and disrupt the festival. The man murdered Wilhelm in front of us all! He just…" she waved her hands about, trying to find the right words, "he just pulled out a pistol and shot him dead. A-and then afterwards we were all sent back to our rooms and locked inside. You're the first friendly face I've seen in hours. No castle staff, no Agatha." She sighed and let her shoulders slump. "I'll never hear the end of this."

"What do you mean?"

"Frederick." She clarified. "From the instant we arrive home, he will never let me step foot outside the Isles again. I know it."

"You mean _**if**_ we ever get back to the Isles…." Hans said morbidly. "And even if we do manage to, it may not be the same Isles that we remember."

Charlotte raised her brow curiously. "Hans? What are you talking about?"

Hans took a deep breath. There really wasn't an easy way to explain this. "It's a bit of a long story."

"I imagine part of the long story you mentioned earlier." Charlotte replied and gestured around them, putting more emphasis on the locked door to the corridor. "It doesn't seem like either of us will be going anywhere for a while. Just start at the beginning."

He brought his knees up to rest his arms on and began to divulge his activities from the last few hours, starting from the moment he left the ball. Charlotte remained quiet as she listened to his report, and to no surprise to him, visibly paled when he got to the parts of the servant's detainment.

"What about the visiting staff?" She broke her silence. "Agatha, and the others that came with other royals and ambassadors?"

"I didn't see them." Hans said. "I think everyone was confined to quarters, all but the kitchen staff."

"Why only them?"

He shrugged. "Even invaders need to eat?"

"Hmmph." She bristled. "They can starve for all I care, for what they did to King Wilhelm and his family."

Hans was taken aback. That was certainly not something he ever expected Charlotte to say. "Freddy really is rubbing off on you, and I'm not sure I like that."

The queen rolled her eyes. "Never mind that. You weren't finished with your story." She waved him off, "keep going."

He hesitated and glanced over towards the door. There was a good chance that a guard was posted outside. And while no one had barged in on them so far, it didn't help put him at ease, especially with what he had to add—the most important part of his report. He leaned in closer to her and spoke just above a whisper.

Charlotte gasped and quickly covered her mouth as Hans shared what he knew of Beker's plans. "Y-you can't be serious." She whispered back, "it's… it's…" she was at a loss of words.

"I am." Hans said. "This goes far beyond the mere murder of a king. There must be something this man wants from us. From Freddy. From your father. From everyone. And it's clear he doesn't give a damn about moral and political boundaries. If Armensgrad has already fallen—"

"No one even knew!" She said in a hushed tone, "Frederick surely would have mentioned such a thing! We certainly would never have been allowed to this festival if we knew Alvania was expanding its territory."

"Well, too late now. We're here. _They're_ here. And they certainly won't stop with Rheland. If Beker truly plans to spread north, then our entire realm is at risk. The Isles, Arendelle, Vallacia, even Weselton… how many monarchs are going to get murdered while this man goes on some mysterious vendetta?" He raked his fingers through his hair and got a glimpse of the panicked expression forcing its way across her features. "What are we going to do?" He asked after a long pause, "or… what _can_ we even do—we're trapped here as prisoners. And who knows what will happen to us in the end."

He averted his gaze momentarily to glance out the window. When she didn't immediately reply, he turned back towards her and froze. Her face had become incredibly pensive. Clearly, the gears were turning inside her mind.

"I suppose, as prisoners, there's really only one option." She responded after a lengthy pause. "Escape."


	8. Appropriate Action

"Escape?!" Hans shot back incredulously and a bit louder than he intended. His gaze immediately shifted towards the door and he could feel his heart racing as he waited for it to burst open. It had to. The guard patrolling outside must've heard. And now even Charlotte was looking over her shoulder cautiously. It took several minutes of silence between the two of them and staring at the closed door to conclude that maybe the guard _didn't_ hear his outburst, and that it was probably safe to breathe. He scooted along the floor closer to Charlotte and made sure to speak in a hushed whisper this time, "Are you crazy?"

"No." Charlotte's head turned back, and she stared him down. "You don't honestly expect to just sit around and do nothing—"

"Well, I certainly don't intend to waltz right out the door." He deadpanned. "In case you forgot, I snuck in through the _window_."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "I didn't mean this exact minute. We still have to come up with a plan. There's a lot about this situation that we still don't know." She turned back towards the door briefly before readdressing Hans, "And I think you might be in the right position to find out more."

His jaw dropped open and he just stared at her. "Let me get this straight. You want _me_ to be your reconnaissance agent? I'm a prisoner here, just like you are. What makes you think I'll have an easier time wandering about? It's only a matter of time before those goons realize that I'm missing."

"The only way they'd know you're even here is if they went into your room." She paused, "I had asked King Wilhelm and Queen Helene not to put you on the official guest list since your invitation was very last minute."

"Are you really banking on that technicality? I'm sure there's some written record of my being here. And then what? How—"

The sound of boots stopping outside in the hall and a key fumbling in the lock immediately silenced him, and his eyes grew wide as he scrambled to his feet. There was barely enough time to help Charlotte off the floor and duck back outside to the balcony before the door swung open. Whatever would go on inside, he would have to make do listening from out here. He clamped a hand to his mouth to silence his heavy breaths and prayed the guard wouldn't make a thorough inspection.

"_Oy!_" The Alvanian guard grunted and stepped inside a few feet and stared down Charlotte. "_What's going on in here?_"

Th queen smoothened her skirts before leveling the intruder a glare of her own. "Nothing? What do you expect?"

"_I heard voices._"

"_I was talking to myself._"

The guard's eyes narrowed, "_Sure you were…_"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "_Are you calling the __**Queen**__ of the Southern Isles a liar?"_

"_Where is he?"_

"_He __**who**__?"_

Hans backed up against the railing. It would do Charlotte no good to provoke the guard to actually start searching and find him out here. Through the door, he could still hear his sister-in-law arguing with the Alvanian.

_I guess it's a good thing she's had practice standing up to pompous men. Living under the same roof as my brothers really paid off…._

He immediately winced after the guard made another harassing comment, and Charlotte's voice grew louder.

_Though… she better be careful before she ends up getting into real trouble. 'Cuz that's only going to mean even more trouble for me…._

The sound of a door slamming got his attention, and before he could register anything further, the drapes were pulled back and Charlotte poked her head out.

"He's gone—hey!" she whispered at first and immediately recoiled back when Hans positioned himself to attack. "It's just me!"

"Sorry," he mumbled and lowered his arms, "Don't scare me like that."

"Well I didn't do it on purpose," she huffed and glanced back into her bedroom. "It's… probably best that you don't come back in. He may have left, but after that exchange, I'm sure he'll be itching to burst back to cause some more trouble."

Hans nodded his head back and forth, "yeah, you've really made a friend there." He said sarcastically and then let out a sigh. "I suppose from here on out I'm on my own. Once I have some more news, I'll come back. Any… any parting advice on how I go about doing this?"

Charlotte only bit her lip as she weakly replied, "just be careful, and don't get caught?"

"Yeah. That's about as far as I got, too." He mumbled and nearly stumbled backwards as Charlotte suddenly threw her arms around him.

"I mean it." She whispered in his ear, "Be safe. We both need to get home in one piece. _Alive_."

Hans nodded against her shoulder, and when he pulled back, his hands came up to cup her face, "You, too. Try not to make any more friends the Westergaard way, eh?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes as she stepped away and back to the open door. "I promise not to enrage the warden unjustly. Now go." She offered one more longing glance before slipping back into her room and closing the balcony door.

Alone once again, Hans' mind began to race. Seeking out information would not be easy. There were a lot of questions, and a lot more problems. What to look for? Where to look? How to even get there? And on top of that, there was no way to know just how many Alvanians were roaming the castle halls. One wrong step and it would all be over.

_No pressure. None at all._

A short burst of wind set another task. Somehow, he had to find a way back inside. This wing was full of guest rooms, and Hans could only assume most, if not all of them were occupied now that the festival attendees were on lockdown. He took a quick glance around the surrounding balconies. There were faint traces of light coming in from some of the windows. Other landings appeared dark with the heavy drapes closed.

Movement then caught his attention down below as a patrolling guard crossed the garden. Hans instantly dropped to the stone floor and peered carefully through the bars. To his relief, it didn't appear that he was seen. The guard moved from one end of the garden to the other, and then back inside.

Once it seemed the coast was clear, he stood back up and glanced behind him. Charlotte had drawn her drapes closed. At least he had the darkness on his side. One more quick glance to the left, then the right. Everything was quiet.

_It's now or never…_

Hans moved to the edge and swung a leg over the railing. He hoped this would be the last time monkey-climbing the castle walls was going to be a necessity. At least the next balcony wasn't too far over. And it was dark. Another good sign. A grunt escaped him as he flung himself through the air and landed hard on his side.

_I definitely can't do this again…_

Still flat on the ground, he turned his head towards the window. The drapes were pulled back, but the room was dark. It struck him as odd. Did this person go to sleep without any sense of privacy? Hans crawled over and cupped his hands around his face to peer inside. There was no visible luggage. No signs of occupancy that he could see.

…_maybe this is just an empty room after all…._

He reached up and tugged on the doorknob. The bar lowered easily and with a soft click, the door started to swing open inside. There was no hesitation on taking advantage of this small bout of luck. He immediately crawled in and closed the door behind him. It was only after he hastily pulled the drapes closed that it occurred to him that someone could still be in here. His eyes slowly scanned the room, getting used to the dark. The bed was made. The washroom was dark. And not a person in sight. Once back on his feet, he lit an oil lamp by the bed just enough so he could see better, but not so much that the light would filter underneath the door. At least he now had a temporary safe space.

He sank down on the edge of the bed and pondered what he knew so far.

_King Wilhelm is dead. The castle is overrun with Alvanian soldiers. Beker has delusions of grandeur…._

His hands came up to rub his forehead. There was a lot of weight on his shoulders. Not only did he have to find out what Beker wanted with everyone, he had to figure out a way to get himself and Charlotte to safety.

No easy feat.

Rising from the bed and then extinguishing the lamp, he crept over to the door and slowly and quietly opened it a sliver, just enough to see down the corridor. There was a guard patrolling further down the corridor, his back facing Hans. The same guard that barged into Charlotte's room, he presumed. But from his vantage point, he could see only the one. Perhaps it wouldn't be too difficult to overpower him. The door quickly closed once he saw the patrolman turn around. In that brief moment, he did catch a glimpse of a rifle in the man's hands.

_Well. That changes things. Now my risk of getting killed tonight increases exponentially. _Hans slumped against the door. _The hall seems quiet. I have to hope that means there's no one else out there. It's a risk I'm just going to have to take._ His eyes scanned the room. There wasn't much that he could use for a decent weapon.

Hans closed his eyes and tried to imagine the guard. The man seemed a bit burly, but not unbeatable. His thoughts then shifted to his brothers to try and find a comparison. Derrick, the twelfth brother, was a broader, muscular man, but not to the extent that Hans couldn't take him in a fight. He's sparred with his brother plenty of times with various degrees of success. Perhaps he would have similar results here. And since this brute wasn't family, there would be no reason to hold back. Yes, attacking the guard to release years of pent up aggression was definitely a solid idea. Imagine the man with his brother's face. That would really get the anger flowing.

_Now I just need to get him in here…._ He mused. Going out into the corridor wasn't the wisest option. Getting shot was definitely not on the agenda. There was always yelling through the door to get the man's attention, but that might draw more than the one guard. In the end, he came up with a different idea.

He took a few steps back, shook his arms bit to loosen them up, then skipped forward and landed one solid kick right into the wooden door. It creaked loudly under the stress of the hit but didn't buckle. Hans bounced backwards, rocking on his heels for a few seconds before landing another hit to the door. Louder this time. Within seconds, heavy footsteps were heard on the other side.

"_Who's in there?!"_

Hans' mouth twitched as he quickly moved to stand beside the door frame. His fingers flexed as a key fumbled in the lock. This was it. Now or never.

The door swung open, and as the guard took his first steps inside, Hans immediately slammed the door closed. With the darkness and the element of surprise on his side, he spun the Alvanian around and slammed his fist right into the man's face.

* * *

Charlotte's hands were trembling as she sat at her vanity and removed some of her jewelry. She thought she was a bundle of nerves _before_, but ever since Hans came into her room and then left again, she couldn't help but fear for his safety. The guard stationed in her corridor was far from a ray of sunshine, and he had an air about him that reminded her of some of her husband's brothers. And certainly not in a good way. The only potential benefit of Hans' departure was now the guard had no further reason to suspect anyone was hiding in her chamber. She was truly alone now, and there wouldn't be any noise to draw his attention. Of course, no reason wouldn't stop the man from barging in again.

But… if this man was fixated on her behavior, that would be one less guard out looking for Hans.

The stress of the evening was certainly taking its toll. Every noise she heard outside made her think it was Hans. Worse, when some time after he left, she heard several loud bangs from the room beside hers. Was that from the guard? Did he shoot someone? After the argument he had with _her_, he certainly would have been in the right mindset. Just how many more people would have to get hurt?

One of her hands quickly covered her mouth as a yawn forced its way out. The last several hours have been exhausting to say the least. If only she were able to go to sleep. She was far too tense to even think about settling down to bed.

As she pulled her tiara from her hairdo, she frowned and looked in the mirror to her reflection, as well as the empty room behind her. She wouldn't be able to get comfortable in bed even if she wanted to. Her ballgown was designed with a lady's maid in mind, and while she was certain she could probably be freed from it by herself, it would certainly take a lot longer than if Agatha were here to help her. Knowing her luck, someone would push in while she was undressing.

And as much as she didn't want to stoop to such a level, being weighed down with her crown and kingdom regalia gave her a bit of an ego boost when facing the Alvanian earlier. It was clear these invaders didn't give any regard to royal deference, but she had to use any advantage she had. While she still could.

As she gently placed the crown on the vanity surface, Charlotte was pulled from her thoughts by the sounds of a pair of voices in the corridor. Voices she didn't recognize. Curiosity levels rising, she rose from her seat and approached the door to get a better listen.

"_I can't wait until we push to sea and conquer the northern lands. I need some action, none of this babysitting. And judging by the Chancellor's plans, it might be a while."_

"_If it's action you want, it's a shame you weren't in the dungeons earlier. You missed a hell-of-a-show."_

"_Why, what happened?" _Asked the other.

"_The prince—or should I say, __**former**__ crowned prince tried to assert authority over us—"_

"—_royal swine…-"_

"_he dared to insult Chancellor Beker and his mission. __**Our**__ mission. These good-for-nothing-parasites know nothing about true destiny, and earning, being deserving of one's fortunes. It's disgusting. They are born above the rest of us and live their lives squandering the resources of their homelands while the people starve and die—"_

"—_then it's about time someone put him in his place."_

The second man laughed. _"You should have seen how he dared to strike General Andersen. Spit on his boots. Well. He'll never try that again."_

"_Were you there yourself?"_

"_Oh yes. In the cell, too. Me an' Franz. That prince Oscar is a wild one, that's for sure. God, Franz really looked put out that he couldn't strike him with the rifle again and knock him out this time."_

"_Sounds like he deserved a beating."_

"_General Andersen had a better idea."_ He chuckled darkly, _"You remember the princess, yes? Well, he…"_

The tone the guard used was enough to make Charlotte's stomach churn. Her hand went to cover her mouth as she forced herself to keep eavesdropping.

"…_.not very strong, that one. But that's how they breed little women these days. Made latching onto her pretty easy. Though she's got quite a set of lungs. Had to clamp a glove over her mouth so she'd shut it."_

The first man laughed now, too. _"I bet she'd make a good screamer too, if ya know what I mean…"_

"_I hope we get the chance to find out. You remember how we savored that one duchess from the invasion in Armensgrad—"_

"_Ooooh….._" the man let out a low growl, "_I do. Christ she was divine. Offering herself up so we'd spare the duke. Too bad no one told her that her husband was already dead—"_

"—_hey. Isn't this Brutis' corridor? Where is he, anyway?"_

"_Maybe he's sampling what some of these women have to offer. You know what they say about foreigners…"_

The second laughed louder as they started to walk off, their voices getting softer the further they traveled. "_If he is, he had better save some for the rest of us. I don't want his sloppy seconds…."_

Charlotte backed away from the door feeling absolutely sick. These invaders were far worse than she imagined. Whatever fight Oscar had left in him was no doubt drained away if he witnessed his sister being put into danger. And by the sounds of that conversation, these guards were never held to any sensible moral standard. She was terrified to think about just how far they went with the young princess in front of her own brother. From that brief chat, she prayed it was merely for a show of power, and nothing really happened other than some manhandling. But that was _this time_. Would it happen again? And was Queen Helene receiving equal vile treatment?

Rheland's royal family weren't the only ones in danger, though. If all of the Alvanian guards behaved as these two did, then everyone in the castle was at risk. Charlotte sank down onto the chaise and clutched the back tightly. She had no way of locking her door further, not that it mattered. These guards had the keys to let themselves in whenever they pleased. Would they merely deliver her a meal once or twice a day and leave? Or would they —

She couldn't even finish the thought before jumping to her feet and running into her washroom to retch into a chamber pot. Now more than ever she was regretting sending Hans away. Even if he were forced to stay out of sight majority of the time, at least he would be present to help protect her.

As she wiped her mouth with a towel, she prayed he would return before the guards did.

* * *

Hans closed the door to the west conference room and took a deep breath. So far, his wandering around the castle came up futile. There was no sign of Beker or the sets of parchment that were taken from the king's study. If circumstances were different, he would have made some more thorough searches of the study and conference rooms. Time was the major issue. He only really had until that guard woke up and spread word of a hostage out of confinement. Not even this Alvanian uniform coat would be enough to really disguise him for long. But where else could he go? What else could he possibly look for?

He walked at a rapid pace back towards the north wing, nodding briefly to other guards as he passed by. He didn't dare try to make eye contact with anyone. The more he blended in, the better. And maybe with this disguise, it would be alright to slip into his bedroom and get a better idea of his personal situation. Hopefully Charlotte was correct that these Alvanians didn't know he was a guest.

As he rounded the corner onto his corridor, he could hear commotion coming from one of the rooms. The door beside his was open, and he got a glimpse of a guard rushing in with his weapon in hand.

_Someone's in trouble…_ Hans thought and slowed his pace. He, too, looked like a guard. Did that mean he would have to participate in whatever was going on inside? Would he be forced to attack a fellow prisoner? That was definitely not part of his plan.

"_What do you think you're doing? Give that back!"_

Hans recognized that voice instantly, and he stopped dead in his tracks.

_It couldn't be. That's just… no._

The room beside his belonged to Princess Anna.

He made his way forward and peered into the room. Anna was standing towards the back of her bedroom being held back with arms behind her by an Alvanian guard. In front of her stood Sturgis, one of the officers he saw earlier in the conference room and clutched in his hand was a rumpled piece of parchment.

"What do _I_ think I'm doing?" The officer sneered at her. "Preventing _you_, a _prisoner_, from stopping us." He waved the parchment in front of Anna's face. "Writing a letter to your witch of a sister? Do you really think we'd even allow this waste to be sent out?"

"I wasn't going to—" Anna tried to explain, all the while struggling against her captor.

Hans swallowed as his eyes scanned the scene before him. His eyes lingered the most on Anna, and the dark red stains on her shoulder. _Blood_… he thought to himself, and he prayed it wasn't hers. She didn't seem injured or harmed in any way. Still, it was a nasty eyesore contrasting against her cream-colored formal ensemble.

"Oh sure, you weren't." Sturgis scoffed. "It's time you and the rest of you lot learn you are no longer in control here. You will follow our orders. You will comply. Or face the consequences."

"I will not!" Anna shot back, and with a strong wrench, freed one of her arms enough to swing it upwards to claw at the man's face. "You come here, invade this land and the king's home, and expect us to do nothing? What do you people even want with- aaah!" She gasped out when the guard yanked her backwards and his arms wrapped strongly around her waist and her chest. Another guard that Hans didn't immediately see at first came forward with a smaller pistol drawn from its holster. Sturgis had patted his cheek with his glove to check for traces of blood, and when there was none, reached his hand out to roughly grab Anna's chin and hold her face in place. With her restrained, he took a menacing step forward to put her face close to hers.

"We are here, my dear, to put an end to your ways. It is time your kind were removed from the undeserving lifestyle of prestige and privilege. We will show the entire realm that Alvania is no longer a land of the weak—a land where we follow the commands of pathetic fools. Of _women_. And will ensure that no one becomes a slave to their leaders again."

"The realm won't stand for this!" Anna tried to yank her head free, but it was a futile effort. "We'll stop you. There are plenty of kingdoms who will join together and fight back. And Elsa—"

"Ah, yes. Your sorceress. I can assure you; she'll be the first to fall. No land will ever be at the mercy of unholy magic ever again."

"She is _not_ a witch! And you're no match for her." Anna declared, and let out a brief whimper when the guard tightened his grip on her. She was forced to lean back into the man when Sturgis leaned even closer to her and whispered something in her ear.

Hans couldn't hear what the officer was saying, but the entire scene before him made his blood boil. To see Anna struggle to no avail, to see the strange expression on the one guard's face as he kept his grip on her. And whatever was said must've hit home for Anna, because her fussing instantly ceased, and it looked like she would've gone limp in the Alvanian's arms. Did they know some secret to overpowering the snow queen? And what of the other kingdoms to the north? The Isles, Vallacia, even Weselton to the extreme west?

"Like I said, _Princess_," Sturgis declared louder as he straightened back up to his full height. "No woman will ever stand in the way of Alvania again." He then turned around, and after crumpling up the parchment in his hand further, he carelessly tossed it into the roaring fire.

Hans swallowed nervously when it seemed the group was preparing to leave. The soldier with the pistol rebolstered it, and the other one shifted his hold to roughly toss Anna to the ground. She let out a short cry when she hit the ground, but she didn't make any effort to move. Hans then immediately retreated back a step and shoved himself up against the wall with his weapon pressed against his chest. He remained very still and with his eyes straight ahead to the wall across from him.

_Keep calm. Look like you belonged here…._

"Resume your posts." Sturgis told the guards as they left the room and locked the door behind them. "Should she cause any more trouble tonight, move her to the dungeons. It'll be a far more fitting locale for proper interrogations anyway. And perhaps she'll break in less time."

"Yes sir."

Sturgis then turned his head to the side and noticed Hans standing there. "You there. Come with me."

"Aye." Hans replied in a gruffer tone and moved to follow after the officer. Perhaps he would get to stand in during a meeting with Beker. That could give him the information he needed to relay back to Charlotte. He just hoped there would be enough time to make it back before it was too late.

Sturgis took a route around the castle that Hans wasn't quite familiar with, and it posed a question in his mind. _How did he learn his way around the castle so fast? They've only been here for a few hours at the most. I've been here for weeks and still find myself getting lost at times. Was there some mole here the entire time?_

Sturgis stopped just outside the set of double doors to the library and he and Hans entered. The first thing Hans noticed were piles of books everywhere. Every table surface had at least two tomes stacked. He also recognized another of the men, Andersen, standing before a table where an older man was sitting with an open book before him. He had a nervous look to him as he stared up at the Alvanian before him. With his disguise, Hans kept back, assuming the role of guarding the door.

"I cannot help." The man's wavering voice pleaded, "I am merely the librarian here—"

"Oh, you are so much more." Andersen said calmly. "As the royal scholar, you are tasked with educating the royal family—or should I say, the _ex-royal family, _on a vast range of subjects. Mathematics. Sciences. Languages. _Politics_. We are merely requesting you utilize that knowledge for _us_."

"I have nothing to offer that you don't already know."

Sturgis took the brief moment of silence to step forward and make his presence known. "Any luck here?"

Andersen shook his head, "No. Not yet. I am apparently not making our position clear enough." He straightened and crossed his arms. "And you? What went on upstairs?"

Sturgis frowned, "We made a night check on the Arendelle princess and discovered she was trying to send a secret message out of the castle."

Anderson chuckled, "a wasted effort. I hope you set her straight."

"Oh absolutely." Sturgis replied. "Though she may become a troublesome prisoner over time. We'll have to keep a close eye on her. Extracting the information that we need will not come easily."

"She is strong willed, that one." Andersen agreed. "No matter. We may not need her to be truly compliant after all. Not with our friend, Lord Mason here. What a treat it is to come across a man full of so much knowledge."

"Oh?" Sturgis came around to the table and stood just behind the older man. "Just what is it we can learn from you, old man?"

Lord Mason stiffened at the man's close proximity but held his ground. "I will share nothing with you."

Andersen clicked his tongue a few times. "My dear lord, I believe you will find it to be in your best interest. Or would you prefer to share the same fate as your beloved king?"

Hans shifted from one foot to the other. These men wouldn't really shoot the scholar right here in the library, would they?

Lord Mason's eyes went wide as saucers at the threat and looked back and forth between the two officers. "Killing me wouldn't give you the answers you seek."

"Perhaps not. But what we don't receive from you and your precious books, we can always get from the men and women held upstairs and down. I'm sure Queen Helene, Princess Anna, or even Lady Thompson from Maldonia would enjoy sitting down for a nice… chat…"

Another soldier standing off behind Andersen cracked his knuckles loudly with a proud smirk across his face. Hans wished he could punch the smug grin right off of him.

Lord Mason grimaced. "You wouldn't dare! You… you monsters!"

Sturgis's hand knocked into the back of the scholar's head, sending him forward into the table. "Mind your tongue."

Anderson's hand went up to calm his companion, and he moved along the edge of the table, closer to the elder lord. "This is your one and only warning. Cooperate, and you will remain unharmed. Refuse, and we will find the answers we seek through other…harsher means. No one will be spared. So… what'll it be?"

* * *

"Oh, thank goodness you're alright!" Charlotte cried in a hushed tone once Hans had slipped back in through her balcony. "I was beginning to wonder if you were caught…"

Hans took a deep breath as he sat down against the side of her bed. "I'm telling you, Lottie. Tonight really has really been an interesting one. And not at all in a good way." His hands went up to run through his hair. "It feels good to just sit for a moment."

He was surprised he still had some decent levels of energy left in him. When it was appearing that his time in the library wouldn't be ending, he cleared his throat to get the officer's attention, making up a tale about his presence being needed at the prisoner's corridor, and praying Andersen and Sturgis would believe him. With Lord Mason not appearing to be a violent threat, Andersen dismissed him, and Hans never stalked so fast through the corridors to his room. The patrolling guard was nowhere to be seen, so he took the opportunity to quickly slip into his bedroom.

Everything still appeared to be the way he left it, with his formal attire still tossed carelessly aside. His wardrobe was open, and he wasn't entirely sure if he left it that way or if someone was truly snooping about. Either way, he used his brief solitude wisely. Grabbing two of his satchels, he filled them best he could with some clothes, his remaining money, and anything he brought with him that he thought would be useful for him and Charlotte. If they were really going to try and escape, it would have to be _soon. _This could be his last chance to be among his belongings again. He had to select items carefully. Of course, wearing all of that extra weight didn't make scaling the walls any easier. But it would be too dangerous to leave anything behind.

"Did you learn anything?"

"Yeah. These Alvanians are asses."

Charlotte winced at the swear and drew her legs closer to her, smoothing out her skirts over her feet. "You don't have to tell _me_. I overheard some of these pigs outside my door before—"

"Really?" Hans asked, his interest suddenly piqued. Perhaps she learned things that he didn't. "What did they discuss?"

An uncomfortable look instantly formed across her features, "how much these soldiers want to harass all of us."

Hans' mind instantly flashed back to what he witnessed earlier. That one guard in Anna's bedroom _was_ rather touchy. "What do you mean?"

"They have no problems using women as bait… or methods of torture. I overheard them talking about how they were treating Prince Oscar and Princess Josephine down in the dungeons. It was absolutely disgusting." She whispered and looked away. "They certainly have no problems forcing themselves upon defenseless women—or at least, _those two_ didn't. But I can only assume they are all alike."

"That… that would match up with some of the things I've seen, too." Hans sighed. "Except I thought they were just making empty threats. Did you hear what happened to the royal family?"

Charlotte shook her head, "No. Only Oscar was trying to fight them, and Josephine became caught in the middle of it. For all I know, she and her poor mother have already been subjected to such barbaric treatment."

Hans winced. "They're not the only ones getting roughed about. In my travels, I came across Princess Anna getting manhandled in her own room."

"What?" Charlotte gasped and leaned closer to him. "What happened? Is she alright?"

Hans could only shrug as he relayed everything he saw in Anna's room to his sister. "But that's not the worst part. The man—some big-shot named Sturgis—he whispered something to her, and whatever it was, it made her submissive. She stopped fighting, and they left."

"What do you think it meant?"

Hans peered up over the top of the bed towards the door nervously before slumping back onto the floor. "They mean to invade the north. Arendelle, the Isles, Vallacia… there are no boundaries for them. I think they plan to overthrow every monarchy in the realm."

Charlotte blinked and her head jolted backwards. "What?"

"I was in the library before. There were books everywhere, and they had captured the scholar. They want information out of him. Information about Rheland. Maldonia. Malengrad. The Isles…" he said nervously, "and whatever they don't get out of _him_, they'll get from _us_." His mind began racing as he fully took in all of the information, combining his observations with Charlotte's limited news. "And judging by what we both witnessed, it's going to be a lot worse-off on our end."

Hans could feel his heart racing again. Overthrowing every kingdom in the realm was a huge undertaking for one country alone. It didn't seem possible to him that Alvania and Armensgrad's resources alone could supply enough of an army to spread that far. He already learned earlier that they planned to take over Rheland's military. But still, was that enough to overpower say… the Southern Isle's navy? Vallacia's army? Not to mention whatever forces Queen Elsa had at her—

"Queen Elsa…" he mumbled under his breath.

"What?" Charlotte whispered.

Hans turned to her with a wild look in his eye. "Sturgis told Anna they could eliminate Queen Elsa. I… I don't exactly know how they plan to do that…."

"But perhaps Anna does. Perhaps she's some link in taking down the queen. We can't let that happen." Charlotte insisted. "In order to fight this, every nation will need to band together. We will need her and her magic to help us."

"Maybe we have time on our side…" Hans thought out loud, "Beker and his men need to completely absorb Rheland's resources. If we can truly get out of here and find a way back home, we might be able to rally our forces to form some sort of counterattack."

Charlotte looked at him as if he were crazy. "Are you serious?"

"Why are you looking at me like that? This entire escape plan was _your_ idea!" Hans whispered. "I'm just saying. If we do nothing for too long, either that librarian downstairs will crack, or one of us will. And I personally don't want to be around when they start killing us off when we've outlived our usefulness."

"Do you think it'll come to that?"

Hans crossed his arms. "They killed King Wilhelm. They threatened to off the scholar right there in the library. But he's not the only source of information. These men have raided the library itself. There were books pulled off the shelves, scattered everywhere. And while everyone else was chatting, I got to get a glimpse of their reading material. Records of kingdoms. Political alliances. Family legacies. Beker and his cronies know exactly what they're after, and it's only a matter of time before they find it. I wouldn't be surprised if Beker even pulled every fairy-tale story off the shelf to figure out where Queen Elsa's magic came from."

"There has to be more to it than just overtaking our lands." Charlotte said, shrinking back into herself.

Hans recognized the look on her face. It was the same look on her face when she declared the need to escape the first time. It didn't fill him with any sense of confidence in their budding escape venture. "I'm sure there is. But we can't get to safety _and_ find out. It's one or the other. And I'm rather keen on getting the hell out of here before it's too late.

Charlotte was silent for a long time as she evaluated their options. "Well… Frederick needs to know what's going on. That much is certain. He needs to be prepared for when Alvania eventually moves north."

Hans nodded in agreement. "I'm not entirely sure when that'll be."

"Alvania was never really known for their naval forces." Charlotte replied. "I learned that much from reading over Frederick's shoulder. So, if they do plan to set sail, they're going to have to acquire some ships."

"They might have to overtake most of the continent." Hans replied, "That means Maldonia and Malengrad are at risk next."

"Assuming they haven't already been taken as well." Charlotte frowned, "and both of their representatives are still in the castle. Their kingdoms, while smaller, are east of here. But taking them would also put Alvania at northern ports closer to our Isles."

"Then we can't waste any more time." Hans declared. "You need to pack some essentials so we can get moving."

"How do you expect us to even get out of here?" She asked with a tilt of her head. "Well… besides out the window?"

"I think I have an idea." Hans shrugged and got to his feet. "I did a lot of wandering tonight." He made to move towards her wardrobe and was surprised when she reached up to grab hold of his arm.

"Hans, wait."

He knelt and looked down at her and was taken aback by the mixed expression on her face. "What?"

"I… I don't think I can come with you."

There was no way he was hearing this correctly. After everything that's happened so far that night, she couldn't possibly want to stay behind. "I'm sorry, _what?"_

"I… I can't go." She said again, much sadder this time.

"Why?"

She looked away and tried to maintain her composure. "I can't just up and leave. What about the rest of the guests here? What about Agatha? I don't think I could just leave her behind. She is my responsibility, as are you."

"Charlotte." He hissed. "This entire plot was _your_ idea!"

"I… I know…" She replied and reached to take his hand, "but I think I can do…something…while I'm here. As much as I want to flee, we _need_ someone on the inside. We need to be able to find out the truth."

"The truth?" Hans wasn't believing this. "The truth is that this castle is overrun by barbaric soldiers who would prefer to torture first and ask questions later. The truth is that Viktor Beker is a madman with plans to conquer the realm. And _how_ do you expect to relay _anything_ while being trapped in this castle? Princess Anna already tried to write a letter and look what happened to her!"

"I know…"

"Frederick will _murder_ me twice over when… or…_if_ he finds out that I just left you behind."

"I'm telling you to. You're following my orders. That was our arrangement from the beginning."

"I won't leave you behind to die." Hans insisted and squeezed her hand. "You're too important to leave behind."

Charlotte shook her head. Her lips started to quiver. This was clearly not an easy decision to make, and rationalizing her choice was certainly not an easy task. "I can't—"

"You're the _queen!_"

"Hans, listen to me. I'm too much of a high profile prisoner here. It'll be noticed right away when I'm gone." She tried to explain, "Besides, in order Beker to be stopped, we will need Queen Elsa's help. I'm not trying to belittle our own forces, or those of our neighbors, but I think we will truly need her magic to held turn the tide in our favor. Someone has to get to Arendelle and explain what's going on."

"Yeah, _you_." Hans countered, "You were her neighbor. She trusts you."

"I'm not the one she will need." Charlotte replied. "It's-"

"—well it certainly isn't _me_." Hans balked. "I'm pretty sure I'll be turned into an ice cube the moment I land in her waters. I tried to kill her once, remember? She won't listen to a word I say."

"Well, you won't be alone."

"Who else am I-" he froze, the implications of what she was saying dawning on him. _Oh no. She can't possibly mean…_

"Hans. You need to get Princess Anna out of here," Charlotte said, confirming his suspicions. "If she knows the secrets to her sister's powers and reveals them to Beker, it's over for all of us."

"As if Anna would betray her sister like that." Hans said. He was certain the odds of that were low. Anna was strong willed, and pretty tough. He witnessed that first-hand years ago. She had enough fire and determination in her to rival some of his brothers. But… that was under normal circumstances. What would happen here? Did these men truly know how to break her resolve? His mind flashed back to the scene in her bedroom. What did Sturgis say to her to make her compliant? Did he threaten her with violence? After what Charlotte told him about the soldier's interrogation preferences, it wouldn't bode well for her. But it also wouldn't do to have Charlotte stay behind either. He could just imagine the immense trouble he would find himself in for landing home without her. Or worse, how Frederick would react in general if he knew violence befell Charlotte while she stayed behind.

_Everything always has to be so complicated…._ Hans groaned.

"I'm sure she wouldn't. But even if she doesn't say a word, these men could use her to gain the upper hand against Arendelle."

"Yeah? And they could use _you_ the same way against Freddy. What do you hope to gain by staying behind?"

"I don't know. Perhaps I can learn something from Beker and try to persuade him in another direction. But I have to try something." She was starting to tremble as she gripped onto him tighter, "it's a dangerous risk… but it's one I'm willing to take."

* * *

Hans couldn't believe he allowed Charlotte to talk him into this. Saying goodbye to her was the hardest thing he had to do. When she kissed his cheek goodbye and pulled him in for a hug, he didn't want to let go. It went against every fiber of his being to have to leave her behind, knowing the terrible risk she would be putting herself in. It didn't help one bit when they pulled apart and she was on the verge of tears. He knew deep down that she didn't want to stay. She wanted to get back home as soon as possible, just as he did. But among all of her reasoning, she refused to flee and leave Agatha behind. She made her final decision, and there was no way to talk her out of it.

_I just hope she knows what she's doing…_ He thought to himself as he climbed across from balcony to balcony. _There's no turning back._

Fleeing wouldn't be easy. The longer he lingered, the higher the chance of him getting caught. And he doubted very much that he could just grab Anna and head north for their ships. The northern ports of Rheland were probably the first things to be overtaken when the soldiers began their march.

Reaching his own balcony, he crouched low to the floor as he came up with his next moves. Getting into Anna's room would be relatively simple, so long as there were no soldiers doing more night-time checks. Getting her _out_ would be the real challenge. The only way he's been able to move about easily was because he was alone. If he had Anna with him, she would definitely slow him down.

_This is getting worse the more I think about it. Some plan this is turning out to be._

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his watch and checked the time with the dim lights of the garden. It was well after midnight. If they were going to escape, and escape _successfully_, they would need the darkness to mask their flight.

One last leap, and he landed on his stomach onto Anna's balcony. At least one of his satchels landed beneath him to help cushion his fall, but it didn't stop a grunt from escaping his lips. He was sore enough still. _At least this will be the last time I do that…_ he sighed.

There was no light shining from underneath the door, or through the gaps in the drapery. That was a change from earlier. He prayed she was actually in there as he reached up and wiggled the door handle. It unlatched fairly easily, but he didn't try opening it just yet. There was time for one deep breath to ground himself. Barging into Anna's domain was going to feel like wandering into a dragon's den. He could only hope his presence would be received better than the Alvanians were earlier. One exhale later, he pushed the door open and slipped inside.

He barely made it three steps into the bedroom before something hard struck him in the head and knocked him to the floor.


	9. Breaking Out

Anna clutched her bedsheets tighter to her chest and rolled over onto her side. She wasn’t sure what made her think going to sleep would make her feel better, because it wasn’t doing anything for her. Especially since all she was really doing was laying there, wide-eyed and alert.

All she really had going for her right now was someplace warm that she could temporarily feel safe. Throughout most of her life, bed was always a place of sanctuary. After daily dealings of rejection and loneliness, climbing into her bed each night, and sometimes in the afternoons, let her break free from her monotonous routines, and she could be left immersed in the adventures and stories of her wildest dreams.

Or, at times, a prisoner of her worst nightmares.

_If only **this** were something that I could awaken from…._ Anna sighed and rubbed her nose with the tip of her bedsheet. What a terrible night this was, and every passing hour only seemed to make things worse. She almost feared what the dawn would bring.

As she laid there and tried to force current events from her mind, her attention was drawn towards the windows. The wind was picking up, and every so often, she could hear a loud gust brush against the castle. Nature’s sounds were nothing new to her, and for the most part, she’s tuned them out.

Until there was the noise of something that clearly wasn’t wind. It was a short, scraping sound coming from outside. It was new to her, and hearing it enough, she sat up slowly and glanced over towards the windows.

Before she could really question it further, she could see a shadow of something fly across the window, and the unmistakable sound of a _grunt_. Something, or _someone_ was outside.

Anna’s heart started to race all over again, and she slipped out of bed cautiously. Was there a soldier outside her door? Was he here to assert some more dominance over her like the others? Well. Not again. She had quite enough of being manhandled and tossed about like some children’s ragdoll. There was a large anthology on her nightstand—a collection of poems she found in the library that had served well as late-night reading material—she picked it up and held it close to her with both hands. It had a decent bit of weight to it; it’d do as a makeshift weapon.

As she tiptoed over towards the door, she could hear the sound of the knob wiggling from behind her curtains, and soon it pried itself open.

_This is it. Just one swift swing. It’s time these people learn that the princess of Arendelle won’t submit so easily. _

The form of a man emerged from the curtains, and with a deep breath, Anna swung her hands about and struck the tome right into the intruder’s head. The force of her strike wasn’t as strong as she hoped it would be, but it still knocked the man down to the floor.

“Ow! Christ, Anna. It’s just me.”

_Wait, what?_ Anna was immediately taken aback, and her arms slowly lowered. She knew that voice all too well. But… what was _he_ doing breaking in through the window?

“H-Hans?” She asked and tilted her head curiously to the side. “Is that really you?”

“What’s left of him—ugh…” he groaned and remained flat on the ground for a few moments to let the shock wear off. One of his hands rubbed the back of his head to make sure he wasn’t bleeding.

“I-I’m sorry…” Anna tried to apologize. “I thought you were one of those soldiers.”

“…do I look like an _Alvanian_ to you?”

She couldn’t help but shrug. “I mean, you don’t **_now_**, but it’s dark and I’ve been on edge all—” she silenced herself and eyed him carefully as he slowly rose onto his hands and knees.

_What do I think I’m doing? I don’t owe him any explanations. This is **Hans**. If anything, he owes **me** one for sneaking in here._

There were so many emotions going through her mind. Confusion to what was going on and relief to seeing a familiar face that _wasn’t_ an Alvanian soldier—even if had to be her ex-fiancé.

“How’d you get in here?” She finally asked. _Might as well start with something simple. _

Hans shot her a dumbfounded look. “Seriously? The. Window.” He deadpanned and jerked his thumb behind him.

“I _know_ that.” Anna rolled her eyes. “No need to be rude.”

“Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.”

“Hmmph.” She grumbled and set the anthology down on the nearest table surface. “I meant how did you even get _to_ my window. This entire castle is on lockdown. Everyone’s been confined to quarters.”

“Trust me. I know.” He slowly rose to his feet. “I’ve been ducking around, hiding behind shrubbery, trees, and climbing stone walls for what feels like forever.” He finally turned around to look at her and sighed, “you’re in your nightclothes??”

Anna looked down at herself, not understanding where his shock was coming from. “Uh, yeah? It’s the middle of the night. Did you expect me to—” she cut herself off when Hans suddenly started moving about the room, and she got a better view of him. There were little bits of twig and leaves stuck to parts of his coat. And there was a rather large satchel draped across his torso. She recognized it. Several times, she had caught him out in the communal gardens with that bag beside him, and his sketchbook and instruments strewn about. Tonight though, she doubted he broke into her bedroom just to draw. And then it struck her that he never actually answered her.

“Hey, I asked you a question before. What’re—hey!!” Now he had opened up her wardrobe and started to sort through her clothes. She was stunned. _Who does he think he is?! Three years and still no respect for me. _“Hans!!” She growled and rushed over to push him away. But instead of knocking him aside, she found herself pressed up against him with an arm of his around her waist.

“Shh!” He hissed and clamped his free hand over her mouth. “Do you want your guard to hear you?” He whispered.

Her eyes darted towards the door briefly and she shook her head. Still, his grip on her didn’t lessen. She could do without being silenced in his arms and managed to level a glare to him as she elbowed him hard in the side.

He seemed to get the message. “Talk quietly,” he said as he released her.

As soon as she was free, Anna swung her arm up to slap him in the face. Her hand stung once it made contact, but she didn’t care. After being snatched about earlier in the evening, she wasn’t in the mood to receive similar treatment from Hans.

Hans rubbed his cheek and matched her harsh gaze, “the hell?!”

“Don’t you dare touch me.” She quietly snapped back and took a few steps away as a precaution. “I’ve been roughed around by those men out there. I don’t want nor need it from _you_, too.”

Hans held up his hands in a gesture of peace. “OK. You’re right. I’m sorry. Please…just don’t hit me anymore. I’m not here to cause problems—”

“—then why _are_ you? What do you want?”

He turned his head back to her wardrobe. “Well… I’d like you to get dressed for one thing. Unless you prefer bailing out in your nightdress.”

_Wait, what?_ Her eyes darted from him to her clothes. “I don’t understand.”

“We’re escaping.” He sighed for having to spell it out for her. “I’m serious. Get dressed—or stay here and be tortured and abused for information.”

_Well when he puts it like that…_ Anna didn’t need to be told twice. She immediately pushed past him to her wardrobe and started puling out pieces.

“Do you have any luggage in here?” He asked while glancing around the room. “Satchels? Purses?”

She draped a petticoat over her arm and pointed to a larger trunk across the room. “In the—” she didn’t even finish her sentence before Hans bolted to the trunk in question. “O-okay…” she frowned and watched as he began sorting through the contents inside. “What’re you—”

“Anna, please…” Hans pleaded, glancing at her. “We don’t have a lot of time.” He pointed to her washroom. “Go get dressed.”

Anna frowned, “Am I going to get an explanation for all of this at some point?”

“Later. Now go.”

It took everything she had to resist huffing at his behavior. She could do without being bossed around, but she understood the need for urgency. She moved quickly into the washroom once she had enough of an outfit put together. As she laid her pieces down and pulled her nightdress up over her head, she could hear him moving about the room and she frowned. Was he really going through more of her belongings again? What could he be looking for?

She wished she could call out to him through the door, but that might alert the guard. A sigh escaped her as she tugged her corset tight. _That’d go over really well. Catching a man prowling about my room. _

Once she finished dressing, she took a quick look at herself. Her hair was still braided for bed, but it would have to do. Anna quickly opened the door and stepped back into the room. Her jaw instantly dropped. The room was a mess. Her wardrobe was wide open. Some of her clothes were tossed haphazardly on the floor, a chair, the bed. Dresser drawers were pulled out. She couldn’t believe it. And Hans was sweeping about trying to sort through his chaos.

“What on…” she was speechless. “What have you done?” She asked in a hushed tone and stormed over to grab at his arm before he could do any more damage. “Stop going through my things!”

Hans yanked his arm free and raised his index finger towards her. “We’re moving against the clock here. There was no time to wait around while you made yourself look presentable.”

“I was in there for maybe five minutes.”

“And that’s all the time I needed to gather some clothes for you.” He said, thrusting a half-filled satchel into her waiting arms. “Here. Finish filling that.” Without another word, he turned away and with a second bag in hand, began rummaging through another trunk.

Anna glared at him before turning her attention to the bag in her hands. “Oh god…” she groaned, “You touched my undergarments? Have you no sense of boundaries?!”

“Apparently not.” He said far too calmly, and Anna could almost picture the stupid grin that _had_ to be all over his face as he spoke, “Because I clearly wanted an excuse to fondle your delicate silk stockings.”

In a fit of rage, before she could stop herself, she hurled the satchel at the back of his head.

The impact made Hans drop the satchel he was holding, and he turned to glare at her over his shoulder. “That was _sarcasm_.” Picking up her bag from the floor, he roughly tossed it back to her, “now stop wasting time.”

Anna finished packing in silence. Every few seconds, she would glance over to see what else he was getting into. By now, another of her satchels was draped across his body, joining the one he was already wearing. He then rushed past her towards the balcony doors and peeked through the curtains.

“I’m ready.” She whispered after tugging on a pair of heeled boots. “What do we do?” She approached him from behind. Her hands nervously ran up and down the leather strap of her bag. When he didn’t respond, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “H-Hans?”

“There’s a soldier out there.” He groaned and glanced at her over his shoulder, “I knew we were taking too long.”

Anna frowned and pulled back. She knew immediately that the ‘we’ was really directed at her. It wasn’t as if she was slacking entirely. Still, she held her tongue. Now was not the time to start an argument, and she had to keep reminding herself that. A gust of wind came through the small gap in the door, enough to make her turn back to grab her cloak. “Is there another way out?” She eventually asked.

“Sure. You can waltz right out the door and let the guards shoot both of us.”

Her eyes immediately narrowed. “That was _not_ deserving of a stupid answer.”

“It wasn’t stupid.” Hans whispered over his shoulder. “I was merely being honest.”

“But… if we can’t go out that way…” she pointed to the balcony, “what do we do?”

“Oh. We’re going out _this_ way. Even if we have to forge our own path.”

“Wait, what?” She asked and started to follow him outside. She made it to the door before he held up a hand to stop her.

“I’ll go first. Wait here.” He announced, and before she could react, he was swinging a leg over the railing and then down he went.

_He’s crazy!_ She thought as she rushed to the railing and peered down, curious to what Hans was going to do. It took a few moments, but then she spotted him just letting go of the castle wall. Her heart was racing as she sought out where the guard was in relation to Hans’ location. She found him on the other side of the garden. The rifle in the man’s hands made her nervous, and her hands gripped the metal rail tighter once Hans entered her field of vision. He was sneaking up on the soldier. There was something in his hands, and she squinted to figure out what it was.

_Oh my god, that’s a rock from the landscaping…_ Her hands covered her mouth as Hans was suddenly behind the man. His hands went up over his head, and then—

_Whack!_

Anna cringed upon hearing the crack sound of impact, and then the guard instantly slumped to the ground.

_Did Hans just kill him? _

She watched, frozen in place as Hans dragged the man away from the lit path to a darkened spot behind some of the shrubbery. She couldn’t see the Alvanian anymore, but Hans was still visible, bent over what she presumed to be the man’s body.

Eventually, she tore her eyes away and looked around the garden. Everything was completely enclosed. It let her to wonder how Hans expected them to get out. There was also the question of how Hans even managed to get around the castle in the first place. Everyone was immediately confined to their rooms once King Wilhelm was killed.

_What, did he just launch himslelf out **his** window and jump another guard? How many people have **Hans** attacked tonight? And how many more will fall while we try this mad escape? It’s just—_

**“**Anna!” His voice startled her from her thoughts, and she peered down the right side of the balcony. Hans was standing there waving for her to come down. “It’s safe now.”

_Is it?_ “How do you expect me to get down?”

“Climb like I did.”

“There’s nothing to grab hold of!”

“Then jump.”

“Hans!” She hissed, wide-eyed. “This is the third floor!”

“So? I’ll catch you.”

_Sure you will…_. Not feeling too confident in her second option, she warily sat up on the rail to swing her legs over. Surely if Hans could manage, she could, too. Still, it was a bit of a ways down and the stone surface didn’t seem right for climbing. “I don’t know about this…” she said quietly to herself as her hand rubbed against the wall. There wasn’t a lot for her to maintain a solid grip. After some struggling, she managed to get a firm holding on the wall and heaved her body onto it.

Her mind instantly flashed back in time three years prior, when she boldly tried to scale part of the North Mountain. She was far more naïve then, with an air of invincibility to her. With the drive to find her sister and restore summer, she didn’t really think much of consequences. Only actions.

But that was then. And while she never lost her strong will, she’s matured significantly and gained a greater sense for safety. This was no innocent venture with a rag-tag group of friends who would offer support and patience as she slowly made her way up a mountain or down a valley. Here, there was danger everywhere—from the guard in the bushes who may or may not be dead, to the entrances to the gardens where additional soldiers could appear at any time, to her just clutching the castle wall three floors high, with nothing to break her fall down below except for Hans. And he brought his own set of issues.

“Anna….”

Hans’ voice reminded her that she couldn’t hang there forever. She glanced down at him. He was still in the same spot.

“I’m… I’m coming….” She whispered and swallowed nervously. One foot moved off the stone and shifted a bit lower on the wall. Now more than ever she wished she paid better attention when Kristoff actually taught her a thing or two about climbing mountains.

_One foot. Then a hand. Then the other foot… I can do this._ She made it a few small steps downwards and let out a brief exhale. _It’s like descending a ladder. A really **tall** ladder. With a lot less to grab onto…._

She made it another few feet and began to feel a bit more confident. That is, until a bit of wind shifted her satchel to dangle away from her body. Anna was mid-step when her balance was thrown off and she lost her grip on the wall. She barely had the chance to let out a gasp and even think about bracing for the fall when she was suddenly cushioned by a set of arms under her, followed by the sound of a quiet, labored grunt.

“See? I told you I’d catch you.”

**_“Glad I caught you…”_ **was all she really heard as she glanced from the ground to Hans, her eyes wide with shock. Images were flashing in her mind, moments in time from Elsa’s coronation. The ballroom, the portrait gallery, the bridge, the stables—any and every time she managed to stumble in Hans’ presence, and when he latched onto her with a supportive hand or two to keep her steady. He was different then, his face full of playful smiles and charming, lighthearted laughter. Now, she knew his true nature, and there was only mind panic and exhaustion across his features.

_Well… at least he kept his word…_ The sincerity reminded her of something else—the last time she was hastily trying to scale a steep surface, she ended up landing in Kristoff’s waiting arms.

** _“That was like a crazy trust exercise….”_ **

Granted, she purposefully launched herself off the mountain wall versus falling off, but the outcome was still the same. She had no guarantee Kristoff would catch her then, either. In a way, she supposed she unintentionally tested what little trust she had in Hans. And he passed. For now. She could only hope his double-crossing days were long behind him.

“Will you stop staring at me like that? Are you okay or not?”

Was she staring? Anna didn’t even realize it and shook her head sharply. “Fine.” She muttered and pushed harshly against his chest to wiggle out of his arms and back onto her own two feet. Her hand immediately gripped her satchel strap as she took a few steps away from Hans to look around.

“You’re welcome.” He mumbled dryly at her lack of thanks. “I mean, it would be a real waste to bother breaking you out just to let you fall to your death.”

“Hmmph.” She huffed with a shrug of her shoulders. “Now what?”

“We find a way out of here.” He replied, moving to stand in front of her.

“Did you kill him?” She asked, pointing across the garden, “that man?”

Hans shook his head and reached behind to grasp her hand. “No, and we need to go before that becomes a necessity.” Once he was certain she wasn’t going to wrench away, he turned partially and spoke barely above a whisper. “Follow my lead, and whatever you do, stay quiet. Truly getting out of here is going to be the real challenge.”

She nodded quickly. “Do you have a plan?” she whispered back.

“Not to get shot.”

Anna couldn’t resist rolling her eyes. _Psh. I could have said **that. **_“That’s more like a hope.”

He shot her an annoyed look. “Do you want to argue about it? Or do you want to leave?”

She clamped her mouth shut to prevent another meaningless squabble. Throwing barbs his way was far too easy for her. It didn’t matter to her if they were justified or not. Years of dormant aggression towards Hans were being released with full force over the last several weeks, and suddenly being thrown into his company didn’t help the situation. But in spite of the bitterness towards the Southern Isles prince, she had to get along—at least for now. Whatever his reasons, he was going far out of his way to get her out of the castle. And the only way she would get answers to all of her questions was to trust him to get them both to safety.

Her hand squeezed into his in a show of support. “Let’s go.”

* * *

“Hans wait, please!” Her hand let go of his and she collapsed onto her hands and knees in the dirt. Her entire body was screaming at her. Never in her entire life had she run so much in a short period of time. She could think back to all of the times she chased snowgies around Arendelle _and_ the snowy cliffs of the North Mountain, raced Kristoff and Elsa for a charity event last spring, even that one instance when Marshmallow pursued her and Kristoff through the deep mountain snow. She would take all of those moments three times over versus all of the stress and running to flee the castle.

The worst part was, she should have expected this much. No one ever fled from a dangerous situation at a casual stroll’s pace. And naturally, it wouldn’t stop the moment they reached castle grounds.

_Had I been smart, I would have picked better boots. These are just part of the problem…._

Hans was certainly right about one thing. Getting out of the castle really was the hard part. He kept a firm grip on her as he weaved them through castle corridor after corridor—some of which she’s never been on before. He even knew the routes of some of the servant’s passageways. But not every path was clear. As she expected, they ran into their fare share of opposition, and she lost track of how many times his body smushed hers into the wall or ducked her down onto the ground. Hans really did a number on invading personal space, but there was no time nor valid reason to gripe.

The lack of space wasn’t the only part of their flight that bothered her. She witnessed some first-hand violence on Hans’ part. It startled her knowing that he could throw a single punch and knock a man out. Or worse. She could still hear the cracking sound of his fist contacting with a soldier’s jaw and it made her cringe. Hans moved fast in each and every instance that they got caught, and she was surprised in the end that all of the guards were silenced before they could alert their comrades.

_Silenced…. Or killed?_ She still wasn’t sure.

Now, she struggled to catch her breath. Every time they were on the move, Hans held her hand. Sometimes her arm. It was a struggle to keep up with him at times. He naturally ran faster than she did, and by the time they managed to find a proper exit onto the castle grounds, her legs were already sore and slowing that she felt Hans tugging her along as they fled.

It was dark when they made their escape. Anna wasn’t sure what time it was _now_, but it was well into daylight hours. By now, she expected that the Alvanians had probably discovered her missing. She could almost imagine the scene—a guard barging into her room to bring her some form of breakfast and seeing the absolute mess she and Hans left behind. The castle must be chaotic with the search. Did they know Hans was missing, too? Would the search go beyond the castle grounds? And how long would it take before that happened?

“Anna, we have to keep moving.” His voice became louder as he doubled back to her position and bent over, leaning his hands on his thighs. He was breathing heavily, too, but not to the winded extent that she was. In fact, he merely looked as if he did a long, casual jog down some wooded trail. She was insanely jealous.

There was a wide tree stump just ahead and she crawled her way to it, slumping against it to finish her break. “I… I just need a rest.” She gasped, “we’ve been running for hours. Aren’t you tired, too?”

“Of course, I am—”

“--then sit down and shut up.” She groaned. Her eyes closed and her head leaned back against the stump. “Why am _I_ the only one ready to keel over and die?”

“…you can’t tell me to shut up and then immediately ask me a question.” He replied with a scoff.

One of her eyes opened enough to glare at him. “Why are you so difficult??”

Hans moved to sit down beside her. “_I’m_ difficult?”

“Yes.” Anna nodded. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked. And now I finally want a moment to myself and you want to ruin it.” She took another deep breath and turned away from him. Whether he wanted to or not, he was going to get a break, too. There was no way she could take another step right now. And now that she was on the ground, she was certain _getting up_ would be another challenge in itself. Still, it felt so good to just _stop_. “Where do you think we even are? We can’t possibly be in Oskberg, right?”

“For the amount of time we’ve been out? No. I’d say we’re ways past.” Hans replied and ran a hand through his hair. “Alright. I’ll concede your point. A rest does feel good.”

“See? I told y—” her cheeks instantly flushed as a loud gurgling noise erupted from her stomach. Now that she had stopped to take a breather, her focus was no longer on running and keeping up with Hans. Her respite brought forth a new problem. She hadn’t eaten since the dinner and snacks from the ball, and all of the physical activity worked up quite the appetite. Her hands went to cover her stomach, hoping that the loud rumblings wouldn’t reach Hans’ ear. What good was running away if they would only starve to death in the middle of the woods? A quick glance from him confirmed that he did in fact hear her stomach rumbling, and she felt even more embarrassed.

“Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You were thinking it.” She brought her knees up to tuck under her chin and fixed her skirts. “God, what a mess this whole thing is.” She sighed, not paying attention to how Hans had turned towards her as he rummaged through one of the satchels draped across him.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better—”

“—I doubt it—”

“—I’m hungry, too.” He finished, producing two apples from the bag and handing one to her. “If we’re going to break, we might as well make the most of it.”

The sudden appearance of food certainly shocked her, and she couldn’t help but flash him a grateful smile as she gently took the fruit from his hands. “Oh, thank you! I’m glad one of us was smart enough to bring provisions.”

Hans took a bite from his apple and raised a curious brow at her while he chewed and swallowed. “Was that a compliment? Or did my ears deceive me?”

She swallowed her own bite and waved the apple in her hand. “It was. I wouldn’t get used to them, though.”

“I’ll be sure to revel in the moment.” He said slyly, and then shrugged his shoulders, “though I suppose being the gentleman that I am—” she scoffed at that, but he ignored it, “—I can’t take all the credit. Majority of the snacks I brought came from your room.”

“Wait, what?!” Now she turned on him, any smiles or pleasantries instantly disappearing from her face. “So, first my undergarments, then you raided my stash??”

Hans casually took another bite. “I don’t see why you’re so upset. Would you rather have the Alvanians snoop through your things and take them for themselves? At least _you_ get to enjoy them.” Once he only had the core left in his hands, he tossed it casually behind him. “The fact of the matter is, you had food tucked away, and we were going to need it.”

“Is there anything _else_ that you stole that I should know about?”

“Eh. Just your coin purse.”

“Wonderful.” Anna muttered to herself in between bites.

Hans got back to his feet and stretched. “Well. I think we better keep moving now. We can’t stay in one place for too long.” He said and held out a hand to help her rise.

Anna discarded her apple core and ignored his offered hand when she stood back up. “How much further north do we have to go? I thought we would have reached the water by now.” She asked, glancing around their surroundings. For as far as she could tell, they were in the middle of a dense forest. Nothing but trees, bushes, rocks, and more trees.

Hans took her hand and started guiding her through the woods again in the original direction they were heading. “We’re not going north. We’re headed south.”

“Wait, what?” She immediately yanked her hand free and crossed her arms. “What do you mean, ‘south’? Arendelle is north! The Southern Isles are north—”

“—and the Alvanians are north.” He finished for her. “That would be the most obvious route, and the perfect opportunity to trap escapees like us. No. We’re going south.”

“But—” she didn’t get the chance to respond when the sound of a twig snapping in the distance caught both of their attentions. Immediately, Hans pulled her down to the ground beneath the undergrowth. She tried to keep her body from trembling under him, but nerves were getting the better of her.

_Did the guards catch up to us already?? Maybe it **was** a better idea to keep moving, like Hans wanted…._ She bit her lip and glanced at him. He didn’t share her fear—or at least, his face didn’t express it. He seemed rather calm, as if he was calculating their next move. His eyes darted about, no doubt trying to locate the source of the sound.

“Hans?” she began to whisper, and immediately, he put a finger to her lips. At least it was an improvement to his entire hand slapping over her mouth. He didn’t verbally reply to her either, only shaking his head to keep her from speaking again.

‘Stay here’, he mouthed to her, and once she nodded, he crept away from her and disappeared around the trees.

Anna’s heart began racing. She scrunched herself up as small as she could get and closed her eyes tight. For the first few moments, she could hear Hans’ boots as he moved away, and then there was silence. She didn’t know what to expect next. How long would Hans be gone? Who would he find in the woods? And who would come for her afterwards? She certainly wasn’t feeling brave enough to even peek her head over the leaves to get a glimpse for herself.

More minutes of silence. The quiet began to unnerve her. That twig snap seemed fairly close to them, so why couldn’t she hear Hans or whoever was out there?

** _BANG_ **

She let out a scream in fright. The sound of a shot going off was so unexpected and sounded too close for comfort. It was almost as loud as the shot that went off in the ballroom. She wasn’t the only one disturbed by the sound. Birds in the nearby trees suddenly took flight into the sky, and she could hear what sounded like a horse whinny in fright a little way off. Tears started to force their way down her cheeks. Was Hans just killed? Would she be next? She retreated so deep into her thoughts that she didn’t hear the sound of hoofs and footsteps approaching.

“Anna.” Hans whispered nearby. “It’s safe now.”

She peeked an eye open at the sound of his voice, and slowly lifted her head up. Looking up over the shrubbery, she could see Hans a short distance away with a large, dark brown horse. He held the reins in one hand, and the other rubbed up and down the side of the steed’s face, as if trying to soothe the creature. She got to her feet and brushed some small twigs from her cloak and dress before approaching cautiously.

The consoling looks on Hans’ face instantly vanished when he turned his head to address her, and it was replaced with an accomplished grin. “Luck might just be on our side after all.” He gestured to the equipment saddled to the horse, “These packs have money, water, rations…”

She held up a shaky hand. “What was that noise I heard? Where’s his rider?” She asked the question, but already knew the answer.

“He was a scout.” Hans replied solemnly and nodded his head towards the left. “We won’t have to worry about him anymore.”

_So, he **is** dead…_ Anna’s suspicion was confirmed. And even though they were the enemy, just knowing that Hans had no qualms about killing them made her feel incredibly uneasy. Would his violent tendencies be reserved only for the Alvanians crossing their path? And it didn’t escape her notice that the belt around his great coat gained a new edition: a small holstered pistol. _He must’ve taken that from the soldier…. _“Did he come from the castle?”

“It’s possible.” Hans shrugged, “but that doesn’t mean he was sent out to retrieve us, either. There could be other soldiers deployed throughout the kingdom as Alvania takes over the land.”

Her hands rubbed her arms nervously. “Then I guess we should get going.” She forced a shy smile, “but at least we won’t have to run anymore.”

Hans moved to the side of the horse and offered a hand to help her mount. “For now. The ride will give us more of a lead in case they really are on our trail.” Once she was safely situated on the saddle, he climbed up behind her.

Anna sighed when his arms came her front. One wrapped around her waist, the other covered one of her own hands as she held the reins. She could feel Hans signaling the steed to turn about in the proper direction, and in no time, it started its trot through the woods, working its way up to a gallop. As she gripped the reins a little tighter, she glanced over her shoulder best she could to get a glimpse of Hans. With him leaning forward into her, his face was a lot closer than she anticipated it being, and her cheeks flushed slightly. Still, Hans didn’t make any eye contact with her. He maintained sight straight ahead with a neutral expression on his face again.

_I hope he knows what he’s doing… and where we’re supposed to be going. I may not know what’s going on in his head, but I do know for certain that the next time we stop for a rest, I’m getting all the answers he’s promised me. I just hope I can handle them. _


	10. The Plan Comes Together

**-Earlier that Morning-**

Charlotte shifted slightly in her sleep as she stretched out on the chaise. After Hans left, she had grabbed a throw blanket from the wardrobe drawer and made a makeshift bed for herself. It wasn't the most ideal place to fall asleep, but there was no way she was going to risk getting into a compromising situation with _those_ guards outside.

By the time the sun rose over the horizon, the fire had long gone out. While she slept, there was a soft knock at her door. She didn't hear it. Instead, her hands brought the thick blanket closer to her face as she clung to what little rest she managed to get.

That is, until there was the sound of someone –a man—clearing his throat just off to her side, and a few seconds later, a soft prodding of her shoulder. The physical contact stirred her awake, and for a brief moment, she half expected to see Agatha standing before her with either a breakfast tray in her hands, or merely there with her arms crossed, upset at finding her mistress in such an unconventional sleeping space. That all ended the instant her eyes land on a trio of men. Two guards, and a third dressed in a more decorated suit. The queen recognized him instantly from the party.

"Good morning," Viktor Beker said with a cheerful disposition.

Charlotte let out a gasp and instantly jumped to her feet, the throw blanket falling to the floor. Her eyes narrowed at the intruders in her room as her hands moved about to smoothen down her skirts.

_Don't appear weak…._ She thought to herself as she stared them down.

"… or perhaps, it's not a good morning." Beker mused with a curious tilt of his head. His eyes scanned her from head to toe—taking in her long honey brown hair partially coming out of her formal updo, to the extreme wrinkles in her ballgown.

"May I ask you something?" Beker eventually added. "Is it customary in your homeland to… sleep in such elaborate formal wear?" He noticed her eyes narrowing at him, but she made no effort to reply. "I can't imagine that being very comfortable—"

"… what are you doing in here?" Charlotte finally asked after growing tired of his eyes probing all over her.

"She speaks!" He chuckled and waved a hand, "Come now. I didn't realize it was a crime for a host to greet his guests in the morning."

_There are so many things wrong with that statement that I'm not sure where to begin_. She thought and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not _your_ guest."

"You are _now_."

"For how long?"

"As long as it takes."

Her eyebrows raised curiously. "As _what_ takes?"

Beker flashed her a knowing smile and remained silent. Clearly, he had no intention of answering her. Instead, his hands moved to clasp behind his back, and he began to wander the room.

"I don't believe we have been properly introduced," He said after a long break, "What shall we call each other?"

"You already know who I am," She replied, keeping her attention forward. "Your guard dogs came through last night getting all of your information."

"Humor me."

He was unexpectedly right behind her then, and the puff of his exhale put a shiver down her neck. She bent down to retrieve her blanket and draped it around her shoulders like a shawl. "Queen Charlotte of the Southern Isles."

"Queen Charlotte of the Southern Isles…." He repeated as he circled back around towards the cold fireplace. "That's a bit wordy," He mused softly, "We can shorten that, no?"

"…_Your Majesty…_" Charlotte offered bitterly. His too-calm-smooth demeanor rattled her.

Beker chuckled, "Of course you would offer that. But you see, I'm not one for royal titles. To address you as such would imply your superiority over me, and that of my people. With the current state of affairs, I find that quite unacceptable." After rekindling the fire, he turned back to look at her. She still wasn't glancing in his direction, but at his two guards flanking the bedroom door. "I take it I need no instruction."

"No, Chancellor Beker," She said shortly, "You don't."

"Viktor."

That got her attention and she whirled around to face him with her arms crossed. "I think not." She shot back sternly. "We are _not_ on a first name basis, so don't even toy with calling me by mine. I showed you more respect than you even deserve by using your title. Therefore, I expect you to either return the curtesy, or don't address me at all, and you and your men can simply leave."

"My, my…." He blinked in surprise and took a few steps towards her. "That's rather brash. I am aware you live among a royal household of all men, but I expected more from you in the way of manners."

Charlotte's eyes narrowed and she had to resist the urge to strike him once he was in range. "How dare you! You invade this kingdom, this castle, murder its king, and believe you have the right to lecture _me_ about manners?!" Behind her, she could hear the guards shifting in their positions and she took a deep breath to calm herself. "Was I the first you've barged in on today?"

He tilted his head curiously, "Why does that matter?"

"The other kings, princes, noblemen and diplomats—would you request _them_ to address you by your given name?" She didn't give him a chance to reply, "No, I bet you wouldn't. You said it yourself that you don't care about deference, but that's not true. It only affects you when _you're_ the one having to show the respect. But them? I imagine hearing King Alastor of Malengrad addressing you as his superior gives you quite the power trip."

Beker raised a brow at her, "Go on…" his tone was not as sharp as she expected it to be after her outburst. His calm demeanor gave her pause, and she was getting the impression that she was merely feeding his ego.

"If you don't call _them_ by their first names, don't expect to do it to me, either."

His mouth twisted upwards into a smirk, and one of his hands came up with an open palm facing her, "Peace, my dear. It seems you've got a sharper tongue than I was expecting, _Queen Charlotte_. Here, I came in anticipating a reserved, soft-spoken woman." His thumb flicked across her cheek. It caused her to yank her head back and retreat a few steps. "You intrigue me. What say… you and I continue this delightful conversation over breakfast?"

Charlotte's fingers fidgeted against the folds in her skirt. His proposal caught her off guard, and she fought to keep her stern composure in place. "Is this a demand or a request?"

"It was the main purpose of my visit, but you may decline if you wish. It is only a request. _For now_."

The way he emphasized the end didn't sit well with her, but if he was giving her choices, she had better take advantage of them while she still could.

"Then I will politely decline-" She began, and as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she came across an idea. A risky one, but perhaps it would help with information in the long-run, "—I'd rather have my breakfast served here in my room. By Agatha."

"Agatha?"

"Yes. Agatha. My maid." She could hear the sounds of the guards scoffing behind her, and a glance over her shoulder showed the men's attempts at holding in laughter. The notion seemed humorous to Beker as well, as a brief chuckle escaped his lips. Still, Charlotte pressed on, "She is—I assume—still held up in the servant's wing with the others. Unless you've gone and killed _them_, too—"

"—the castle staff has not been harmed," Beker interrupted, "though it amuses me that you believe they will continue to serve _you_, when my men and I are their masters. As a prisoner, you are hardly in a position to make demands."

"Oh, so I'm a prisoner, now?" Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest. "Not ten minutes ago, you said I was your _guest._ Which is it?"

His jaw shifted and his eyes narrowed as he stared her down. Charlotte wasn't sure if he was keeping silent to instill a fear into her, or if he genuinely didn't have an answer.

"Both." Beker finally spoke, "For now, you remain _my_ honored guest—one with extremely limited freedoms, but a guest, nonetheless. You may remain in these comfortable quarters. You will not be harmed. As long as you behave and obey me and my men, you will have nothing to fear. However," he took a menacing step forward, closing some of the gap between them, "should you cause trouble or say…attempt to escape, for example, you will find my nature to be far less accommodating. I'm sorry to say… you aren't exactly starting off with a clean slate."

Charlotte shook her head in disbelief, "I've done nothing!"

"You refused my offer."

She moved to take another step back once he was right in front of her, but she was trapped by the chaise. "You gave me a choice!"

"I did indeed. You have the right to choose—_for now ." _His hand reached up quickly to cup her chin. He had a firm grip on her, enough that she couldn't wrench away. The move was sudden, and she gasped softly as her eyes locked onto his. For the first time since their conversation began, she lost her brave face.

"Do be careful, my dear. Because I can assure you, choosing _wrong_ does have its share of consequences."

* * *

Chancellor Beker had left soon after, and as the morning progressed, Charlotte was understanding how much weight his threat carried. He gave her the option to refuse a shared meal, but he didn't guarantee her an alternative. Agatha never arrived, nor other servants, nor a guard at her door to deliver a breakfast tray. Her stomach was starting to growl on and off. Would Beker return at noon with a luncheon offer? Would she be forced to starve out until dinner?

Or, perhaps in a twisted turn of events, he would just let his prisoners die of malnourishment.

_Doubtful._

As the queen paced in front of the fireplace, she reflected on the morning encounter. Chancellor Beker was not at all what she was expecting. She was anticipating any meetings with her captors to be one of laying down the law, perhaps describing the nature of the situation. Perhaps even some type of interrogation.

Instead, she was prodded awake and invited to breakfast.

Perhaps, she should have gone. Not because she was hungry _now_, but because it could have given her the chance to learn something. For all she knew, she wasn't the only one given the invitation. Even if Beker himself didn't reveal anything useful, she could have picked up on something from the other guests.

_Or, maybe I _was_ the only one invited…_ she thought. Her fingers drummed idly on the mantle. Viktor Beker was acting rather strangely towards her. His informal demeanor irritated her, and she had a hard time believing that he would address her fellow monarchs in such an intimate way. What made her so special?

Charlotte also noted that he seemed rather calm. Too calm. It left her wondering what transpired last night. When she and Hans parted ways, he was supposed to find Princess Anna and get her to safety. That was certainly no small feat, and it left her wondering if he and Anna were still in the castle somewhere.

"Perhaps he didn't reach her yet_…" _she thought out loud and tried not to imagine the worst—that Hans could have been caught with or without the Arendelle princess and punished accordingly.

Turning away from the fireplace, she went to the balcony doors and peered through the gap in the curtains. Everything was quiet. From her vantage point, she couldn't see any patrolling guards below, but that didn't mean one wasn't down there.

_I have to maintain hope that they made it out safely last night._ She turned around and glanced at the clock. It was approaching the ten-o'-clock hour. Beker had left her hours ago. She wasn't certain what his agenda was for the day, but if he bothered to pay _her_ a visit, no doubt he was making rounds to the other confined royals. It would only be a matter of time before Princess Anna was discovered missing.

Heavy groups of footsteps came from the corridor, and the sound of a key fumbling in the lock got her attention. Charlotte glanced over her shoulder just as the door opened. She expected Beker to return, only instead it was Sturgis looking none too pleased.

"Why the Chancellor is making concessions for _you_, I don't understand." The man sneered, "but… orders are orders."

Charlotte let go of the curtains and watched curiously from the window as Sturgis waved to someone in the hall. Before she could even question what was going on, Agatha was thrust into the room.

"Fifteen minutes." Sturgis said before he stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind him.

"A-Agatha!" Charlotte gasped and rushed over to her to embrace the elder woman. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Agatha returned the hug and then respectfully pulled back. "No, Your Majesty. I'm alright. And you? Have they mistreated you?"

Charlotte shook her head, "No. Unless you count being starved out of breakfast." She bit her lip, "I don't suppose you brought anything to eat…"

"I didn't. They plucked me right out of the servant's hall to come up here. I wasn't even told what for."

"Well," the queen sighed, "I'm glad you're here." She moved to her wardrobe and began pulling out pieces. "I haven't had a safe moment to change. Help me out of this heavy ballgown?"

"Of course!" Agatha came up behind her mistress and began undoing the laces.

"I'm afraid we don't have a lot of time…" Charlotte explained, "with only fifteen minutes, and so much to discuss." She let out a sigh of relief feeling the tight corset loosening, "What's been going on downstairs?"

"Well…" Agatha began quietly, "from last night there wasn't much to tell. We were gathered together and instructed to remain in our rooms for our own safety. And then early morning came, and we were told that if we valued our lives, we would have to serve these soldiers. Even myself, and the other visiting staff. Everyone is being watched downstairs, Milady. We're only permitted to speak if it's related to our duties."

Charlotte stepped out of her dress and reached for a new petticoat. "What about the other servants? Ones like yourself, who came with other kings and diplomats? Have they been allowed to see their employers?"

Agatha shook her head, "N-no. As far as I'm aware, I'm the only one whose been allowed upstairs. I'm not quite sure why that is."

The queen slipped her arms into her blouse as Agatha moved in front of her to button the front closed. _Strange,_ she thought.

"I… I asked for you." Charlotte said suddenly. "I asked for you to bring me something to eat." She shook her head in disbelief. "Perhaps that's the reason…"

"But…why? I—I err, that is, I'm glad I was permitted to see you of course. But why me and no one else?"

Charlotte could only shrug. "Perhaps… perhaps I was the only one to ask." She frowned and rubbed her forehead, "For whatever reason, Chancellor Beker was acting strangely this morning…." She quickly summarized the morning's conversation with her maid, "…I don't know what he wants, but the whole thing leaves me uneasy. He's a strange one. I was led to believe that I was to be punished for my choices, and yet you showed up."

Agatha tilted her head, "Do you think this will be the only time we see each other?"

"I don't know." Charlotte frowned, "And we'll be out of time in a few minutes." Her mind started to race as she scrambled to come up with a plan. "When they take you back downstairs, keep your eyes and ears open," She whispered, "perhaps together, we can—"

Shouting suddenly came from the corridor, and both women's heads turned towards the door. Charlotte expected the door to burst open and Sturgis to come and take Agatha away. Instead, his voice could be heard bellowing orders.

"_What do you mean, __**gone**__?!"_

"—_the room is empty—"_

"—_Find her__**. NOW."**_

Agatha quickly covered her mouth. "Goodness! What's happened?" She turned to her mistress, who didn't answer. The maid raised a brow curiously, not quite understanding the immense relief growing on the queen's face. "Y-your Majesty?"

Charlotte pressed her hands to her chest and let out a huge sigh. "Oh Agatha…."

The maid kept her voice low as she took a step closer, "Do you know something, Milady?"

Charlotte smiled. "Only that I think Hans may have bought us some more time together. Taking you away is no longer a priority right now."

"I don't understand…."

"We have to find a way to look after each other, Agatha. To hold out as long as we can. Because now I know there's a winning chance for us after all…."

* * *

**-The woods, that evening-**

Anna leaned her head back against the tree and tried to tug her cloak closed around her better. The sun had long set for the night, and the temperature took a significant drop compared to earlier.

They had been riding for most of the day, and it wasn't until the horse became extremely labored that Hans decided it was best to stop and make camp.

This certainly wasn't how _Anna_ expected to spend the night. They had passed through the outskirts of a town an hour or so earlier, and she expected them to find lodging_ there_. Not at some campfire in the middle of the woods.

At least Hans took advantage of the village to get some produce from one of the fresh markets stands right before they closed for the day. The soldier's rations held them over for most of the afternoon, but the horse still needed fed.

She let out a sigh and tucked her legs up under her skirts. Across from her sat Hans. He was leaning up against the side of the resting horse.

_He's certainly got the better deal out of the seating arrangement…._ She noticed. _He's even closer to the—_

"You look cold."

His voice snapped her back to attention and she glanced his way. "A little…" she eventually replied, "it didn't make sense to deny what he could obviously see.

"You can sit over here, y'know. It's closer to the fire."

"No thanks." It took a lot for her to say that. It _was_ warmer where he was sitting but being in such close proximity to him was definitely not something that she was comfortable with. After dealing with Hans and his arms wrapped around her for most of the day, she could really appreciate the extra space.

On top of all of that, this was really the first time since acquiring the horse that there was any sort of downtime. And Hans still had a lot to answer for.

"This isn't about the cold, is it." It was more of an accusation than a question, "you don't trust me."

"You still owe me answers." She shot back and cupped her hands around her mouth. Not even her breath could warm them up much.

"Then by all means, start asking questions."

Anna eyed him carefully as he poked at the fire. That wasn't a comforting combination—Hans and fire—and her mind would often flashback to that frightful moment in her castle library. At least here, there was peace of mind knowing this one wouldn't be extinguished. Not while _he_ needed the warmth, too. There was a lot she wanted to ask. She wondered just how much he would actually tell her.

"How'd you get out?" She asked first, tucking her hands back under her cloak. "Everyone at the ball was confined immediately."

"Is that really important?" Hans asked. "I did. That's what matters."

"It matters to _me_." She pressed, "and you promised me answers."

He waved a defeated hand and replied with a sigh, "Fine. I wasn't at the ball—"

"—you were. I saw you there—"

"—and I left early." He shifted against the horse. "I didn't feel like being among people. I went back to my room, changed my clothes, and spent the rest of the evening down in the stables."

"You go there a lot." She thought out loud. A bit too loud.

"Yeah, well, horses make better friends than people sometimes."

_Why does that sound familiar…._

"…naturally when the armies came, they mistook me for a servant, and I wasn't about to correct them. Their ignorance bought me a free escort back to the castle. I got thrown into the servants wing and they took off."

"… that's it?"

Hans shrugged. "Were you expecting a more gallant tale?"

Anna bit her lip, "Well… yeah…. I mean, the way you were acting before… I was envisioning some crazy 'you-against-the-world' battle or something."

He couldn't help but scoff, "No. I spent all night avoiding any and every soldier I came across."

"O-okay…." She frowned. Time to switch tactics. "Then what's going on?"

"How much do you know?"

"Just that Alvanian soldiers took over after killing King Wilhelm. And they're holding everyone hostage."

Hans raised an eyebrow and mirrored her earlier words, "that's it?"

She frowned, "I mean, that's the basics. I take it _you're_ going to be filling me in on everything else."

"Come sit by me and I'll tell you."

Her eyes immediately narrowed. He promised answers. There weren't supposed to be strings attached. And getting chummy with him was _not_ on her to-do list.

"Why should I?" She asked and crossed her arms.

"Because you're freezing over there, and this way I won't have to talk so loud."

"I'd rather not sit next to you."

Hans stared her down for a long time. "You're welcome."

"For what?"

"For getting us out of the castle," he began counting on his fingers, "for _not_ getting us killed. For finding a horse so _you_ didn't have to walk all day—" he tilted his head, "shall I go on?"

Her front immediately softened. _"For saving your life"_ was what he was really getting at. He just took a much wordier approach.

_For getting me out of the castle, and every moment after…,_ she thought. The list could go on and on, and as much as she didn't want to admit it either out loud _or_ to herself, Hans was right. She had been in his sole company since the extreme early hours of the morning, and from the moment he stepped foot into her bedroom, he was doing things for her. Yes, he was aggravating about it—going through her clothes, speaking down to her at times- but as a whole, he did deserve _some_ kind of recognition or gratitude. Just because she didn't like Hans as a man didn't warrant an entire day's worth of rude behavior.

If she really thought hard about it, being stuck with _her_ was probably just as straining for _him_. And after everything today, if all he really wanted was for her to sit next to him…

_I guess I can endure it…._

She let out a loud, reluctant sigh and got to her feet. The look she shot him made it clear she was not at all pleased to be guilted into his requests. "Move over," she said quietly, gesturing with her hands. "I won't sit near the horse's rear."

Hans scoffed and rolled his eyes, "for god's sake…" he shuffled a few feet to the left and then casually propped his arms up on his knees.

She plopped down hard on the ground beside him, perhaps too hard. Her sudden push into the horse's side stirred it, and she quickly rubbed against its skin to keep the steed calm. A minute or two later, she turned the other way to look at her companion. Their eyes met, and it too a jarring of her head to signal for Hans to start talking.

As he did with Charlotte the night before, Hans began sharing the details of evening adventure around the castle, from the moment he left the servants wing to what he overheard in the conference room. Only while Charlotte remained calm and quiet during his report, Anna kept interrupting.

"—wait, what?" Anna shook her head, stopping him for the umpteenth time, "But… but why? What has Arendelle done to him? Or the Southern Isles? Or _anyone_ for that matter?"

"Does a madman really need a valid reason to go berserk?"

Her hands gripped the edge of her cloak. "….and here I thought it was just something against King Wilhelm…"

"It may have started out that way, but it certainly won't stop there. From what I gathered; he plans to take down every monarchy in the realm."

"Elsa…" Anna gasped softly, bringing her hands to cover her mouth.

"Yes, even your sister." Hans sighed, "Once Beker and his men completely overtake Rheland and its resources, they're going north. To Arendelle. The Isles. Vallacia. Weselton. No kingdom is really safe."

Anna bit her lip and closed her eyes tight. Her mind flashed to all the times before the trip when Elsa expressed concern over her going alone. About the potential dangers of nearby kingdoms. What would have happened if she _didn't_ attend the festival? Would Arendelle still be in danger? Would Elsa? Beker and his men couldn't use her as a weapon or source of information if she simply stayed home.

_I suppose it's too late to wonder now._

"What did that man tell you?" Hans asked, pulling her from her thoughts. "Last night in your room."

"Huh?"

"You know, when they were restraining you."

Her eyes narrowed at him, "how do _you_ know about that? Were you spying on me?"

"Not really. I saw from the hall. Your door was wide open—"

"_Wait, what?! _You saw them toss me around did nothing?" Her hands formed fists and shook with rage. "Why? Why didn't you put a stop to it?"

"You're serious? Because doing so would have given away _my_ position. My purpose. And if they caught _me_, how would you expect me to have gotten _you_ out?"

"Hmph." She grumbled. _A valid point, as usual._

"Focus. What did the man say?"

She sighed and rubbed her arms. The fire wasn't helping keep her warm, so she stole the saddle blanket from the horse and wrapped it around her shoulders. _I suppose, in a way, the threat is less now that I'm out of the castle…_

"They want to use Elsa's magic against her. To turn her into the thing she fears most."

He raised a brow. "And that would be?"

"Anna swallowed. "A monster. Making her lose control. Making her snap…" she trailed off and looked away uncomfortably. His question was genuine and honest but sharing information on how to potentially take down her magical sister didn't sit well. Perhaps later, when she trusted Hans better, it would be easier.

_Or _ _ **if** _ _. Three years may have gone by, but history couldn't be forgotten._

"So…" she eventually picked up again, "what now?"

Hans looked at her briefly. "We get you back to Arendelle. Hopefully before Beker and his men start the next stage of their plans." He cleared his throat, "the sooner news can spread of that man's agenda, the better chance we have of stopping him before too many kingdoms suffer Rheland's fate."

Anna nodded. "May I ask you something?" She didn't wait for him to reply, "Why me? Couldn't you have easily bailed out on your own or with your queen, and made a run for your homeland? The Southern Isles are a lot closer than Arendelle—" she frowned, "and we don't exactly see eye to eye, if you haven't noticed—"

He couldn't help but snort. "No kidding. Sometimes I think dealing with the Alvanians would be easier than _you_—" he winced at being elbowed in the side, "the plan _was_ to leave with Charlotte. She was my real priority—after all, I promised my brother I'd look after her. But…"

"Clearly plans changed…" Anna mumbled to herself.

"Charlotte refused to leave." Hans said, staring off towards the fire. "She claimed she was too high profile of a prisoner, and that she would never be able to properly get out." He held up a hand at the looks Anna was giving him, "Well, that and she refused to leave her maid behind, and for whatever reason, she felt she could do something while playing the role of a submissive prisoner." He shook his head, "I tried to talk her out of it, but she can be as stubborn as some of my brothers."

Anna winced, easily picking up on the amount of regret in his voice. "Will she be alright?"

"I hope so." He replied quietly. "This entire escape was her idea, and she can't even take advantage of it, so you'll forgive me if I don't seem to cater to your every complaint and inconvenience. It's too late to go back for her now. And she wouldn't want me to, anyway. You're the priority now. Your knowledge about your sister and her magic makes you too valuable to the Alvanians. The less they can learn about Queen Elsa, the longer it'll take for them to conquer the kingdom. And while Charlotte is in the middle of a captive situation, she's probably safer where she is than where we are out in the woods."

Anna couldn't really argue that. Though hearing that it was supposed to be Charlotte, not her, that made a mad venture back home did fill her with a twinge of guilt. No wonder Hans was working so hard to make sure they got out, that they succeeded. He wasn't just breaking her out of the castle because he felt like being a hero, or because he wanted to rekindle some form of, well… whatever she could classify their broken, short-lived relations. He was doing this for _Charlotte, _too. Her safety rode on their victory.

She thought of their actions earlier that day, when Hans violently broke them both out of the castle; when he saved them both from that one scout in the woods; they were on their own. And as much as she didn't want to acknowledge it, she needed Hans. And he needed her. It _would_ just be the two of them roughing it all the way back to Arendelle. At least then, she would be reunited with her sister again. And Kristoff. Olaf. _Everyone._

And then, Charlotte and the others could be rescued.

_But how long until they got to that point?_

"You said…" she began, trying to remember earlier conversations, "that we were… going south?"

"That's right." He nodded. "One of the first steps Alvania would have done would be cutting off any routes back to our homelands. A lot of guests came from northern waters, therefore it's logical to assume the northern ports are closed."

"O-okay, that I understand." She rubbed her nose with her index finger. "But why south?"

"Because Alvania's borders narrow the further south we go. It'll make it easier, and faster, to cross it-"

Anna's eyes went wide. Every new bit of information was making her feel increasingly lost. "Wait. Slow down. _Cross Alvania?_ Are you crazy?"

"_NO._" Hans snapped. "And would you stop interrupting me?" When it seemed like she wasn't going to talk again, he cleared his throat and turned towards her, "Look. The plan is to get as far away from the castle as we can; cross Alvania and enter Corona. They're a neutral kingdom—they have been for years. One of my brothers lives there. The goal is to make it to his estate and let him know what's happened. He might even be able to get in communication with Frederick, back home. And from there, we'll be also be able to get safe passage off the continent to Arendelle."

Anna blinked and stared at him for a few minutes, mostly to make sure he was done. "That's the plan? Trek across what, three different kingdoms? How can you even be sure we can get passage once in Corona? It's us against…well… _the world!_ What if your brother _won't _help us? What about money? No ship will charter us for free, you know! What if the Alvanians take over that kingdom, too?" Her voice was growing more into a panic with each question.

He let out a sigh, "Anna… I don't have the answers. I told you everything that I know, and what Charlotte and I came up with. A lot of this journey is going to be one day at a time as we press forward. Is there a possibility that Alvania will conquer Corona? Sure. Just like every other kingdom in the realm. But history shows that no matter what conflict exists, Corona remains safe. We _need_ their neutrality. If Alvania takes the to seas, there's a good chance that Coronian ships will be able to sail fairly free."

She closed her eyes and slumped back against the horse. "It all just seems so… impossible…"

"The hardest part will be cutting through Alvania. But we can do it, Anna. We're both strong willed and resourceful."

"If I'm that important to Beker's plans… then it's only a matter of time before they come looking…" she sighed, "What then? That entire country will be looking for me."

"I promise, I won't let them take you." Hans said, and he gently nudged her arm to get a rise out of her. She didn't open her eyes or acknowledge him. "They're looking for Princess Anna of Arendelle. So…"

"hmmph…"

"…we'll go undercover."

Anna snorted and turned her head away. "Yeah, right."

Hans cleared his throat again, "Anna, I'm serious. Look at us. Plain clothes, little possessions. We're practically traveling peasants. So… that's who we'll become."

"That's rich coming from someone who tried so hard to become a king." Anna sniffled, "somehow I doubt you can play the humble role that well. And two salty travelers without any real-world-knowledge won't be able to fool anyone." She could hear him scoff, but he didn't bother responding to her. After a long period of silence, she peeked an eye open and glanced at him. Hans had redirected his gaze to the fire.

_This whole fiasco is giving me a headache…_ she sighed softly and shifted her position so that she was laying down more against the horse's side. She didn't know how many night hours were left, and if they were truly going to be walking the distances he was proposing, she was going to need to rest. The last thing she wanted to hear all day long was him berating her for slowing them down.

"I'm going to get some sleep. You can keep watch." She muttered and pulled the horse's saddle blanket around her tighter. Her eyes closed again, and she let a sense of calm come over her. It was short lived. Within minutes, she felt a tugging on the blanket. "I'm not sharing this." She grumbled, not bothering to open her eyes.

"I don't need it." He replied. There was something about his voice that didn't sit well with her. "I'm warm enough without it."

"Then let go." She snapped and one of her hands poked out to pry it from his grasp. When he wouldn't release it, she huffed and opened her eyes to glare at him. "What are you doing?" She was expecting him to be smirking at her, pleased to be taunting her like the scoundrel that he was. Instead, he was staring very intently at one of the corners of the fabric. The blanket had decorative silver eyelets with ties running through them in all four corners. And for some reason, he couldn't take his eyes off them. And then, just when she thought he couldn't get any stranger, his other hand reached out and snatched one of hers to carefully examine that, too. "H-hey!" She snapped, and wrenched her hand free, retreating it back under the blanket. "What is wrong with—" she gasped when he reached into his boot and pulled out a small knife. He didn't say a single word as he gave a rough tug on the blanket to get some more slack, and then he carved out one of the silver rings.

"Hans!" She gathered the fabric back once he finally let go of it and then scooted further away from him. "What on earth was that for?"

Hans gently rolled the eyelet about between his fingers, inspecting every bit of the surface. "I'm working on our cover." His fingers rubbed and pulled at some bits of thread still stuck to the metal.

Her eyes traveled from his face to the metal in his hands. "I don't—"

"—Give me your hand."

Anna instantly paled. Suddenly, she knew what he was up to, and what that metal eyelet was for. "No. Absolutely not! I can't believe this! _That's _the best you could come up with?"

He shrugged and held out his empty hand for hers. "I don't see what's got your pantaloons in a bunch. You said yes to me just like that—" he snapped his fingers, "—three years ago."

"…_**And you were willing to marry me, just like that**_**…" **cruel echoes of the past went through her mind, and she roughly shook her head to get rid of them. The Deja vu was making her stomach turn.

"I was naïve then!" She fumed. "Don't play innocent. You and I both know you are only doing this so you can take liberties with me."

"HA." He snorted and shot her an icy glare. "Don't flatter yourself. The fact of the matter is, we're going to need each other to get through this alive. That means sticking together. _Working_ _together_. And posing as husband and wife is the easiest, logical way to assume a cover."

"But—"

"—it's not all that farfetched, anyway." Hans continued, "after all, our engagement was never formally disbanded—"

"—I recall punching you right into the Fjord."

"So, you broke my nose. Big deal." He didn't seem too phased by her protests. "That hardly counts as proper legality."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. _He wants to play-house? Toy with my emotions again? Well, I'm not blinded by the innocence of fairy tales. _"How do you expect us to make this work? We don't even get along at the best of times." Anna matched his gaze. "I certainly won't pretend you're some handsome savior that I've always dreamed of. That ship sailed long ago."

"Well, at least you still think I'm handsome." He slyly winked at her.

"ARG." Anna's hand formed into a fist, and before she could stop herself, she swung it towards his head. He caught her with ease and kept a firm grip on her hand.

"Calm down, will you? You're only going to have to put on an act when we're passing through civilization. We can't avoid the towns forever. And blending in with the crowd as a mild-mannered, happy couple will keep attention away from us, so when the soldiers _do_ come looking, we won't stick out in the villager's minds. Out here in the middle of nowhere, you can spit on my boots all you want. I don't give a damn."

Anna's brows furrowed. "I don't like this."

"I know you don't." He shrugged and squeezed her hand. "And I don't particularly like the thought of being tied down to a shrew, but here we are." His thumb rubbed gently along the back of her fist as his voice grew softer, "I'm not asking for the impossible, Anna. Just for your cooperation."

She glanced down at his hold on her fist and shook her head. This entire situation seemed to continuously get worse when it was supposed to get better. She didn't want to travel alone with Hans. She didn't want to play pretend. She didn't want to be his _anything_, real or not. But everything she _did _want, she couldn't have. Safety, security, quick passage back to Arendelle.

_Well… that one I _could_ have. I just have to survive who-knows-how-long without getting captured by enemy soldiers. And without murdering Hans in the process._

"No one is going to believe we're in love. Not everything can be faked." She muttered quietly.

He let out a chuckle, "I can assure you, if you try hard enough, you can make anything seem real. Even love."

Anna's eye twitched. His nonchalant dismissal of their past rattled her to no end. "Yes. _**You**_ would know all about that." She looked away towards the fire. "What's wrong with being siblings? I'd rather you be my annoying, rude, older brother. At least then I can be justified in smacking you around and no one would bat an eye."

"Siblings are too expensive." He replied matter-o-factly. "And as a royal princess, you should be aware by now that not all marriages are based on _love_."

She huffed loudly once more. What extra monetary expenses had to do with playing siblings was lost on her. _A cover is a cover. Who cares what our titles are?_

"Well?" He prompted.

"Well _what_?"

"Are you ready and willing to take our 'road not taken'?"

A snort escaped her. _He makes this sound like some game! _"There was never _ours_, Hans. We don't have a road not taken. Everything _us _back then was really just _you_. I was just the victim of your deception." She leveled him a glare. "There's no way this is going to work."

For the first time that night, Hans offered a reassuring smile. "Sure, it will. Give it the same level of heart and dedication that you gave _me_ on that fateful, eve of splendor, and we'll make out just fine."

Just thinking about Elsa's Coronation pulled at her heartstrings. Her gaze fell to her lap as she took in a deep breath. For not knowing Hans at all back then, she really did give him _everything_ she had. Her time. Her attention. Her love. Her _entire being_. It was painful to reminisce, but in that short period of time, Hans really did become her entire world. The instant he proposed to her, her head became filled with such wonderous dreams of a future. A future filled with love. Companionship. Excitement. And _people_. He had twelve brothers, after all. That meant new family members. Even a new _place_ to visit. The open gates opened her up to endless possibilities.

But all of that was only possible, and realistic, while Hans was her loving fiancé. One brief library conversation later, and all of those dreams vanished. The doors shut abruptly in her face. And both hope and life vanished from her heart.

Trust was a big issue, and that was making this entire ordeal so difficult to accept. Yes, his proposal was just temporary, and at least she had the benefit of knowing that everything they had to do from here on out together would be a façade—on _both_ sides. He already knew how she felt about him. And any words or acts of love on his part would not be to benefit her, but others. And if she only had to really get along and smile and bat her eyelashes at him while passing through remote villages here and there, could it really be so bad?

"…_Fine_…" she grumbled with a huff. "I'll do it."

Hans' smile widened. "That's my girl."

"I'm not _your_ anything." She growled through gritted teeth. The urge to slap him was so strong. Was this how it was going to be the entire time? _I'll never make it through this…._

"Au contraire," He mused, as his fingers gently pried her fingers out of their fist. "You're my lovely bride, now."

"Haaaaans…." She whined and rubbed her temple with her free hand, "you're already making me regret this decision."

Hans didn't verbally comeback to her protests. Instead, he managed to separate her ring finger from the rest. His eyes came up and locked on hers, with a facial expression that seemed both playful, yet completely serious. It was a strange mix that she couldn't pull her eyes from. And he took advantage of her brief calm state to slip the metal eyelet onto her finger.

"Anna of Arendelle. With this ring, I the wed."


	11. Getting to Know You

"So… I was thinking…" Anna began.

"—uh oh."

She shot him a dirty look. "—about our cover. We probably shouldn't use our real names."

Hans nodded slowly as he thought it over. "You're probably right."

"Well, is there a name you would like to use?"

Hans shrugged and readjusted his hold on the horse's reins. "Something easy. Simple. The idea is to blend in."

Anna kicked a rock away from her as she walked along the dirt road, "what about our middle names? This way, it's us, without really being _us_. I mean, it's not like our other names are public knowledge. It's always 'Princess Anna of Arendelle' or 'Prince Hans of the Southern Isles'."

"True. Though, would you remember to answer to something other than Anna?"

Her eyes immediately narrowed, "would _you_ remember that you're no longer Hans? I mean, don't just act like _I'm_ the only one capable of messing up."

"Oh. I'm not implying that I won't. I'm saying _you're_ more likely to."

"Gee. Thanks."

He shot her a reassuring grin, "For what it's worth though, the plan is a solid one," he cleared his throat, "And Marit _is_ a lovely name."

Anna froze in place and stared off at Hans as he kept walking. He got about two meters ahead of her before realizing she was no longer with him and he stopped to glance back. She was speechless. How did he know that about her? She didn't recall that being a topic of conversation recently. And she only just thought up the idea minutes earlier.

"How did you know Marit was my middle name?"

"You told me." He replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Three years ago."

"And you _remember_ that?" She was certainly surprised. It must have been such an inconsequential detail. She didn't even remember bringing it up. Though, in all fairness, she did unload quite a bit about herself that fateful night.

"I remember everything." He stated and held out his hand to her.

_Yeah, and you used it all against me,_ she sighed and stepped forward to catch up. The sunlight peeked through the clouds and shined down on the silver ring adorning her left hand. The light was momentarily blinding, and she was forced to tuck her hand under her cloak. Wearing it was certainly something she had to get used to. She had never worn rings before. This one had the unpleasant bonus of being extra snug around her finger.

"_Well, at least you don't have to worry about it falling off,"_ he had said before.

Of course, that also meant she couldn't rid herself of it, either. The instant it was secured on her finger, she wanted to yank it off and launch it at the back of his head. At least she wasn't the only one having to suffer with the disguise. Hans wore a ring, too. Though, no one would know unless he took off his thick gloves. She snickered quietly to herself at the memory. Finding a piece of metal that fit his larger hands was a rather amusing challenge. _For her_. She took extra pleasure in shoving his ring finger through every appropriate piece of hardware she could find.

_So, this is it…_ she thought. _Hans and I are married now—well, as official it can get being ordained by a sleeping horse and witnessed by a lot of trees…. But, it's not like anyone will ever know that._ A frown formed across her features, _No, not Anna and Hans. We're under cover now, which means got to think that way, too. My name is Marit—oooh, or maybe Ann-Marit! That sounds pretty, too. And Hans is… is…._

"Uh…" she broke the silence. "You never said what your middle name is."

"Haven't I?" He asked dryly. The tone of his voice made it clear he didn't feel like elaborating.

"Oh no." She huffed and tugged on his arm. "It's not fair that you know mine and I'm left in the dark!"

"It's not _my_ fault that you shared your entire life story with me in a two-hour span—"

"—I don't care what I said three years ago! I care about right now. We can't follow through with a plan—one _you _said was a good one—if I don't have all the facts!" She glared at him, "so spill!"

He let out a heavy sigh, "Alexander."

"That's it? Your middle name is Alexander?" Judging on his reluctance alone, she pegged it to be something either super long or outlandish. Not _Alexander_. Not something so… _ordinary_.

"Yes."

"Okay." She declared, "So Marit and Alexander then—"

"No."

"…no?"

"I refuse to be called that." He replied bitterly.

"But why?" She asked, "It's a simple, common name. Heck, even _I_ can remember that—"

"—it was my father's name."

"Aw," she tried to smile, "You don't want to honor him or anything? I mean, it's just while we're in public—"

"_NO._" Hans growled and yanked his arm from her grasp. "I hated him. He was a monster, and I refuse to associate myself to him."

_Well, you're no ray of sunshine, yourself…_ was Anna's immediate thought, and it was a struggle to keep it to herself. From what little she knew of Hans' upbringing was that he seemed to have an isolated childhood like her. However, the intricate family dynamic was not something she could easily relate to. She was only under the impression that some of his brothers ignored him for a few years. That didn't account for the rest of them. Or his parents, either. After all, she herself came from a small, yet loving family. While Elsa did shut herself away for most of her life, her parents still doted on her. Mother read her stories, sang lullabies, even snuck away while her father was busy with kingdom matters to play games in her early years. And her father taught her to ride horse, helped with some of her studies, even taught her some of the importance of being 'the spare'—the important support for the future of the crown. Though she would sometimes admit that those super proper etiquette lessons fell to deaf ears the first few times. Even as she grew older and matured, she never lost faith that her parents loved her _and _Elsa.

But Hans? What could his life possibly have been like? How could it be that he held no love for his parents? Furthermore, how could a family unit even exist without _love_?

"But… he's your father…."

"He was no father to me." He replied bluntly, "He had sex with my mother out of drunken, lustful greed, and then I came along. He never treated me like he did my brothers. Not like a son. I was the burden. I _am_ the burden. So, you'll forgive me if I refuse his name." He quickened up his pace with the horse, forcing Anna to walk faster to keep up.

"O-Okay," she conceded. If there was that much bad blood between Hans and his father that he didn't want to talk about it, who was she to argue? "Well… you still need a name."

Hans remained silent for a while. His focus remained straight ahead, and it was as if he tuned her out completely. "How about… Nikolai." He finally answered.

Anna nodded and flashed him a smile, hopefully one to help him loosen up, "I like it."

"Do you?"

"Yeah! Marit and Nikolai on a cross-kingdom adventure," she giggled quietly, "Or should I say… _Nikki_?"

He snorted, "No. Nikolai. Unless you'd rather us dive into the unpleasant realm of pet-names. Somehow I get the feeling you'd rather swallow soap than utter anything like _that_ to me."

"Um, yeah. I don't think so. I may have come to extremely reluctant terms with this charade of ours, but I don't want to overdo it."

"To be honest, if I make it through this entire venture with my face intact, I'll consider it a personal victory."

"Heh," she could understand that, "So what made you decide on Nikolai?"

"It's a popular name in my family."

She was intrigued. After his outburst earlier, she didn't expect him to want to mention his relations again. "Oh? Do you have a brother named Nikolai?"

He shook his head and glanced at her, "No, but it's a popular middle name among them, so it still counts." They made it to a small clearing, and he wrapped the reins around a tree branch. "Let's break here for a little bit."

Anna nodded. She could use a short rest. They had been on the go since the wee early morning hours with only a brief respite around high noon for a snack. Her legs were starting to ache, partially from having to keep up with Hans' faster strides. While he tended to the horse, she sat down against a tree and pulled off her boots. It felt good to free her feet from their confined footwear, and she brought her hands down to rub at her arches.

_I can see this becoming a daily problem. Once we stop for a break, I never want to get back up again._

She could hear Hans' voice, and she glanced up to where the prince was standing a short distance away. He had pulled a carrot from the saddle bag and was offering it to the steed. He seemed completely calm and in his element with the horse. Happier even. Not that she could really blame him. They didn't make easy traveling companions for each other even in the best of times. Watching him smile and tenderly stroke the animal couldn't help but make her a tad jealous—not for his lack of affection towards her, but for the state of their bond. She doubted the two of them could go an entire afternoon without getting under each other's skin.

"You're good with horses," She commented out loud once he stepped away towards her, "Have you always been?"

He nodded, "They're the only real companions I had my whole life."

"I don't believe that," Anna replied, "How could that be? I mean, you have such a huge family—"

"—so?" He scoffed and plopped down on the ground beside her, "You have a sibling, too. One who ignored _you_ for how many years? The only difference between us is, while you wasted your days begging outside a locked door, I spent my time among the earth's most noble creatures. As a youth, I learned to respect and care for them. By the time I reached my adolescence, I knew everything about each horse in our stables—from their names to every bit of their personality. When my brothers abused them, I consoled them. They were all mine in everything but official name," he sighed and leaned his head back against the tree, "And when I got Sitron, he became my true best friend."

"Is that why you've become this stable's newest resident? You hate people that much?" She asked softly.

He chuckled, "No. Not entirely. Time in the stables just made me slightly less homesick. And the steeds make for excellent muses."

Anna's mind instantly flashed to that one afternoon she spent with Prince Oscar, when Hans burst in on them in the stables. He had his sketch bag with him then. Her eyes traveled to where the horse was grazing. That same satchel was clipped to the saddle. She dismissed his hobbies then. At the time, she didn't really care about how Hans spent his free time, so long as it didn't involve her.

_Well, I suppose those days are officially over…._

Not that she really wanted to, but this could be an opportunity to learn more about him. Hans, she really didn't care about. But unknown aspects of his life could make for good cover details. At least it would be less to lie about in the long run.

"So…" she began, and eyed him with the most genuinely curious look she could muster, "you like to draw?" he didn't immediately reply, so she pressed further, "I remember you having a sketchbook."

He nodded slowly, "Yes."

_That's all I'm gonna get? C'mon, Hans! Work with me here._

"Well, what types of stuff do you draw" She asked, "I mean, besides horses."

He shrugged, "Why does it matter to you?"

Anna instantly frowned, "It's called conversation, Hans."

He shot her a strange look and sighed loudly, "Anything, really. It's not about the subjects. It's about the locations. Being somewhere serene. It makes it easy to forget life for a little bit and submit to my imagination. Yes, sometimes I sketch literally what's before me—a garden fountain, a flower, or a horse. Most of the time, especially lately, I let my mind go blank and let my hands create what they want."

Anna blinked in surprise. His response was a lot deeper than she expected, and it piqued her curiosity. "Are you good?"

He shrugged again, "The term 'good' is subjective, Anna. If you're asking if I went and formally studied art, then no. It was not a skill my father wanted to waste time and resources to develop. And as far as it being 'good' or 'bad', no one has bothered to apply a label to it. I don't draw for other's pleasures. Only my own."

"O-okay, that's fair," She slowly nodded. Her eyes traveled back to the saddle bag. "Is… is it a fair assumption that you brought your book with you?"

"Perhaps."

"Then, may I see—"

"_No_."

She jerked her head back as he stern response, "Why not?"

"Because I said no."

"But we could use it for our cover!" She started to explain, "In case people want to know about us. It'd be a lot more convincing if I knew what I was trying to sell to people."

"Trust me, Anna. People we meet won't be interested in our hobbies."

"But it could be your profession! A traveling artist and his wife—"

"I doubt anything I've done is good enough to build profession out if it."

Anna raised her brow, "Oh, _now_ who's giving it a label?"

"It's _my_ art! I'm allowed." Hans groaned, "Look. I'm not showing you anything. And that goes for anyone we happen to encounter from here on out. It's my only means of escape, and I won't have people tarnishing it with their opinions."

"But—"

"_Drop it._"

_Fine_. She grumbled silently and crossed her arms. _I don't know why I bothered trying. He is the most impossible…._ She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, _don't let him upset you. Especially over something so trivial. If he doesn't want to talk about something, just agree. We can't spend all our days at each other's throats __**and**__ maintain sanity._

Anna slipped her feet back into her boots and stood up. If Hans wanted to sit and sulk, let him. She could make good use of the downtime and refuel.

"Where'd you hide away all our food?" She asked as she sorted through one of the saddle packs. Finding nothing but clothes in the first, she switched to a smaller one underneath, "never mind! I found some." She turned around to glance at him, "Want anything?"

He was quiet for a moment until his gaze met hers, "some water?"

She nodded, grabbed a bit of crackers for herself and the water flask they were sharing.

"So…"

He exhaled, "not this again,"

"What?"

"Every time you start with that, you make me uneasy." He groaned.

She handed him the flask and reclaimed her seat beside him. "I'm sorry. I didn't intend on causing you distress with my conversation starters."

"It's alright," he twisted off the cap and took a small sip. "It's not the starters. It's what your chosen subjects lead to."

Anna leveled him a harsh look, and when their eyes met, hers instantly softened. He was taking another sip, but there was amusement showing across his face. _If that was supposed to be one of his little taunts…_

"Well," she said after biting into a cracker, "Since _my_ topics of conversation don't sit well with _you_, why don't _you_ decide what we talk about?"

He recapped the flask. "Who says we have to talk at all?"

"So, you want to sit in silence? Travel for days, even weeks on end without saying a word to each other. Won't that drive you insane?"

He shrugged and smirked at her, "No more than you currently do."

Her fingers flexed in and out of a fist. "My god, you are such a _jerk_."

"Yes," he wiggled the fingers on his left hand, "and thanks to these rings, I'm _your_ jerk. How's that feel?"

"Ugh." She shoved him in the side. "Stop it." Her tongue stuck out at him when he began to laugh. It was childish, but she didn't care.

"Although…" he began and cleared his throat, "Speaking of marriages and the like…"

_Oh god…._

"I bet you probably had wedding bells in your future—you know, before all this madness happened."

She raised her brow at him, puzzled. "I don't know what you mean."

"Sure, you do." He leaned forward onto his knees. "Things seemed pretty…" his hand waved about as he fished around for the right word, "…intimate… between you and Prince Oscar."

Anna instant felt her cheeks redden, "that's _none_ of your business!"

"Isn't it?" He asked honestly, "Doesn't a man have a right to know about the exploits of his wife's former lovers?"

"First of all," she said with gritted teeth, "We're not married, and you know it—"

"—minor detail—"

"—Uh, _major_ detail! What's it to you anyway? It's not as if anything will ever become of us. This is all one huge façade!"

"You're awfully defensive."

"Well, it's my life. Not yours."

Hans shrugged and spoke casually, "well, seeing as your Prince Charming had to come to _me_ asking for courting advice in the first place…"

Anna was taken aback. _Oscar… spoke to Hans… about _me_?_

"What?"

"You heard me." He said dryly, "I'm merely curious if it all paid off."

_Well, that certainly explains why I thought Oscar was reminding me of Hans…._

"What exactly did you tell him?!" She demanded.

"The only valuable piece of advice I gave was to not make you angry—unless he actually enjoyed getting his face punched in."

"Wait, what?"

"Honest. He took me to be some expert womanizer of sorts." He paused when she let out a snort, "I assured him that wasn't the case."

_No. You're plenty of worse things._ She shook her head. Naturally, he would take advantage of picking a topic that now made _her_ uncomfortable. Why would he do anything else?

"Why bring this up at all?" She asked bitterly, "Jealous?"

He immediately scoffed and turned away, "hardly."

The reaction she got seemed to betray the verbal answer, "Yeah, I'm not buying it."

He took another sip from the flask and passed it to her when she reached for it. "I have no reason to be. I'm everything he isn't."

"Hah!" The laugh escaped her before she could censor herself. "That's for sure. He is so much more—"

"—of an arrogant, egotistical ass. Of that…," he finished for her, "…we agree."

Anna's jaw dropped. "I was _not_ going to say that! And, how can _you_?! Oscar is a true gentleman. Righteous, brave, attractive—" he scoffed resulting in her jabbing his arm. "—and caring."

He sharpened his gaze at her, "He also regarded you as nothing but a pretty trinket. A prize to be won. He came to _me _to get information about _you_. About how to _seduce_ _you_! No true gentleman does that. If he was genuine about you, he would have shown you a lot more respect. Not as merely a potential _mate—"_

"—_mate?!"_ Anna recoiled back, "Don't be disgusting. You're basing a lot of assumptions off what, one conversation? A brief glimpse of us in the stables?"

"Hardly." He stood and brushed himself off. "He didn't spend _every_ waking moment in your company. The man liked to brag. I can assure you, some of the things he said to his fellow comrades seem to make his position quite clear. He may seem kind and considerate to _you,_ but he's really just like every other opportunist prince out there looking for a trophy wife with good breeding ability."

"It must take one to know one, Hans. And how dare you!" She spat and glared up at him. "You're in _no_ position to judge!"

Hans opened his mouth to throw another jab right back at her, but nothing came out. He took a deep breath and combed his fingers through his auburn hair. "The difference, Anna, is that were I in his position, I would have treated you with far more respect. You're a princess. A beautiful one at that, but a person, nonetheless. You have your own thoughts. Feelings. Opinions. Desires. And you ought to have someone regard you as such. Because I can assure you, no one deserves to be treated like a mere object."

"Oh, sure you would." She deadpanned, "because you're some sort of expert on that?"

"Yes, actually." He snapped, "my circumstance is not as glamorous or appealing as being some prize. No one ever looks at me with admiration or desire in their eyes. I'm a glorified piece of royal trash. Always have been, always will be to my family. And this has _nothing_ to do with our shared past. I can count on one hand the number of times any member of my family did something, _anything_, to help me better myself. Otherwise, the normal routine at home is to ignore me. Put me down. And when you're treated like you don't matter long enough, you start to accept it."

Anna stared at him with jaw dropped, and before she could come up with any retort, he picked right back up again, "Look. I get it. Your life, your business. If your heart truly sings praises for that Prince Charming, so be it. Just make sure you don't let him or anyone else take away who you are."

"Hans—"

He held up a hand to stop her and reached for the horse's reins. "Break's over. Let's go."

* * *

The next several hours were spent in uncomfortable silence. After the spat, they went back to walking a while longer until Hans suggested they both get back on the horse to ride through as much of the night as they could. That was the only exchange between them.

While Hans may have been content being silent for the rest of the day, the quiet was starting to drive Anna wild. There was so much she still wanted to berate him for. His clearly biased assumptions about her. About Oscar.

_And he claimed he wasn't jealous. Gimme a break!_

Some of what he said did shock her a little. She genuinely had no idea why the Rheland prince thought it necessary to go to _Hans_ of all people. Her experiences with the prince prior to the festival had all been very pleasant. It didn't seem like Oscar needed help at all in the way of courting. And even during their recent festival activities together, he was nothing but his best self—so it seemed. Yes, he was a bit pushy at times, but he only had while she was present for the festival to actively court.

_He was just making the most of limited time. That's understandable. Excusable…. Isn't it?_

Hans' arm briefly dug into her stomach a little tighter as the horse galloped, and she glanced down at it. It brought on a new thought. One that made her extremely uncomfortable.

_Was… was Oscar jealous of Hans? Did he really see Hans as that much of a threat to have to confront him about _me_? _The entire concept seemed absurd to her. There was _nothing_ left between her and Hans but bitter anger.

But then, she was addressing the situation from her perspective. Her own bias. Just how did Oscar and Hans' conversation go? Did Oscar really get the impression that Hans still—

_NO! I will not even toy with that idea._ She adamantly reminded herself. _Even if it did explain some of their behavior…_

Taking a deep breath, Anna pushed that entire scenario to the back recesses of her mind. There were plenty of other more pressing things for her to worry herself over. Like food. Money. Shelter. _Survival_.

Her eyes glanced up to the clear sky. She was thankful for the moonlight and stars to guide them, but that wouldn't last forever. How would they travel through the rain—or worse, _snow_? To be exposed in the elements for so long only increased the risk of illness. When it wouldn't matter if they avoided Alvanian troops. They would just die out in the middle of the woods.

Her breath hitched at the thought and her heart started to race. She certainly did not want _Hans_ to be her final companion in life. The thought of never seeing Elsa again. Or Olaf. Kristoff. Sven…. It made her stomach turn.

She suddenly let a surprised cry when the horse leapt over a fallen tree. The impact of the landing hurt more than she anticipated thanks to Hans being hunched up behind her. Now she was really starting to feel unpleasant. If they were going to ride like this all night, it would be extremely difficult to travel by foot tomorrow. And what of Hans? Surely leaning forward as he was, gripping onto both her and the reins was hard on him too.

Without thinking twice, Anna tugged roughly on the reins to reduce the speeding horse down to a trot.

"…why are we slowing?" Hans asked.

"Because I need a break."

"…another one?"

Her head turned around to glance at him over her shoulder, "is that a problem?"

He did not reply verbally, only with a loud sigh as he signaled the horse to a complete stop. He dismounted and held out his arms for her. Once on the ground, Anna quickly moved to a nearby tree and leaned her entire body against it. Hans watched her and tilted his head curiously, "Are you alright?"

Anna shook her head and closed her eyes. She closed her eyes to starve off the wave of panic that was forming and took a few deep breaths to help center herself. "I… I need a moment." Behind her, she could hear Hans' footsteps move away, so she tried to briefly ignore the fact that he was there at all and focus solely on herself. Just like the several stops they made before, being still made her very aware of their laborious travel. Her feet hurt. Her legs and back were sore. And she could not even remember the last time she got a decent night's sleep. Granted, this was only the second full day of their flight, but there hadn't been many opportunities to really rest for decent periods of time. She wasn't even sure if she could manage a third night of steady travel.

Switching sides against the tree, she turned around to address Hans. "What time is it?"

He dug his pocket watch out and aimed it away from his shadow, "about half-past-seven."

She sighed. It wasn't as late as she thought, but it didn't make much difference. The sun had set long ago. At this rate, it wouldn't get any darker, but it would be a _long_ while before daylight returned. "Do you know where we are?" She asked, stepping over to him slowly. "Did that scout have a map on him or anything?" Hans moved to the other side of the horse and dug through the saddle packs. She watched from her distance, hugging her arms close to her chest.

"Here's one. Well…" he pulled it out of the bag and held it up for her to see. The worn parchment was folded, and she could see several of the edges were torn. "Most of one." He walked back around where there was plenty of open ground and laid it out on the dirt. Glancing up briefly, he waved her over, "is there something you're looking for?"

She bit her lip and approached, "I… I don't know." She sighed.

He eyed her closely and furrowed his brow. "Something's bothering you. What's wrong?"

Anna knelt across from him and glanced at the map. Immediately, she saw Oskberg and Anslas in Rheland's central region. But that didn't help her get any indication to where they currently were. Not every village they crossed was on the map.

"I'm tired."

"I gathered. That's why you wanted to break."

"No, Hans. I mean _I'm tired_." Anna repeated with more emphasis this time, "I need a rest. A real one. Not slumping under a tree or laying on hard dirt for an hour's nap. I need warmth. I need a roof over my head."

He blinked in surprise, though his voice didn't show any sympathy for her. "You've clearly never gone camping in the woods; roughing it in the wild for a few days."

"This isn't just a few days, Hans! This could be weeks at a time. Months even! How long do you really expect us to keep going as we are?" Before he could reply, she reached across the parchment for his hand and waited for him to take it. "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't want the same comforts."

Hans looked briefly to their joined hands, then shook his head. "We can't have it all, Anna. We are fugitives. While out here, there's a lot that you're going to have to let go of. I know you're scared. There's no sense of security here. There will be a lot of nights where we're camping out here in the wild."

"But we're not even staying still the entire night." She pleaded, "how do you expect us to progress for so long with proper sleep?"

He sighed, "We can't spend all night—every night—snoozing under the stars. There's no time for that."

"But if we have to take rests every few hours, isn't that wasting even more time?"

Hans let go of her hand to rub his forehead as he stared down at the map.

"Hans, look where we are. How we are. I'm exhausted. My whole body is sore. Yours must be too. We're barely going on three days of this. How can we continue on if we can't even find the strength to move?"

"What are you proposing? Making camp here until dawn?"

Anna shook her head, "No. I want us to find a real place to spend the night. I don't care if it's in a pile of hay in some farmer's barn. I just… I need a proper rest."

He was silent for a while. "…sleep does sound nice." He finally conceded to her. He pointed to a spot on the map in the kingdom's southern region. "We're roughly here. This city is the one we passed through this morning." His finger dragged further south, "which means we should hit Greja before reaching Rheland's southern border with Maldonia."

Anna bit her lip. "How close are we?"

He shrugged, "I'm not sure."

"Do you think there's a chance we'll make it there tonight?" She asked hopeful.

Hans immediately refolded the map and tucked it away in his coat pocket. "We won't get anywhere by sitting around here." Rising back on his feet, he started back for the horse. Anna followed, and positioned himself to help her up onto the saddle.

Before mounting, Anna grasped his arm, "what if we don't?"

"Then tomorrow is going to be terrible." He said bluntly, "But I promise we'll stop at our next opportunity."

For the first time, Anna welcomed Hans' grip on her as rode forward. Despite an incredibly rocky morning and afternoon, Hans now seemed quite amicable. His flip-flop moods were tiresome to deal with, especially stacked on top of everything she was mentally dealing with.

It was just over an hour later when the pair rode into Greja—a small, quaint village rear the riverside. Hans dismounted not long after crossing the town boundary and took hold of the reins to steer the horse and Anna further down the main street. Most of the shops were closed for the night, but taverns were still open and bustling, and few people were out walking along the sides of the street.

"Should we ask someone for directions?" Anna asked, leaning forward. "We don't know where anything is."

Hans stopped and walked closer to her with a cautious look, "don't forget," he said so quiet that she could barely hear him, "we have to—"

"—Ah, travelers!" A wavering voice was heard behind Hans. They both looked over to see an elder man leaning on a walking stick crossing the road towards them. "Welcome to Greja."

Anna could see the gears turning behind Hans' eyes as his face instantly lit up.

"Good evening, my good sir!" Hans greeted with a smile, "How are you on this fine autumn evening?"

"Very well, thank you." The man said, then glanced upwards to turn his attention to Anna. "And good evening to you, fair lady," he said with a smile and tip of his straw hat.

"Hello." Anna returned the greeting.

"What brings you to our humble village?"

Hans immediately took over the conversation, "My darling wife and I have been traveling a long way. We're on our way home from festival events in Anslas—"

"—ah lucky!" the man beamed and scratched his mustache. "I've been to some of their activities a few weeks ago. Marvelous showcases if I must say so myself. Did you enjoy yourselves?"

"Oh yes." Anna nodded enthusiastically and ignored the brief look Hans was giving her behind the man's back.

"We've still got a long way to go," Hans continued, "and were hoping there was somewhere in your village where we could rest out heads."

"Well… so long as you've got coin, there's Helga's inn." The man pointed to a large brick house down the main street. "She usually has a few rooms to spare, though we've gotten quite a lot of newcomers with the King's festival the last few weeks. Surely, they've got somewhere to put you. And she's a great cook too, though it might cost you an extra gold or two."

Hans nodded. "And what of our horse? Is there a stable around here as well?"

"Ah, you passed it on your way into town. They're closed now, but there's always a caretaker on duty. Follow the road back. It's the lone red barn just inside the town wall." The man's hand came up to cover his mouth as he yawned. Well, it's late for me. I'll be letting you get your rest. Good night sir, dear lady."

Anna smiled as the man walked off, "he was nice."

"Yes, he was." Hans agreed. "Let's hope this good fortune continues." He reached his hands up towards her, "C'mon down, my dear." He said with a cheesy grin on his face as a walking couple passed them by, "I think the horse tires of his rider."

Anna shot him a dirty look before sliding down into his arms. The instant she had good footing on the cobblestone, she pushed him back.

"Play nice," he whispered in her ear, then gestured down the street to the passersby.

It didn't take long for them to reach the stables and arrange a stall for the horse. The caretaker was not as welcoming as the elder stranger from earlier, and there was an unfortunate price for arriving after hours. Anna could almost feel the waves of displeasure coming off Hans as he surrendered the extra coins.

_He'll feel better after a good night's sleep,_ she told herself, _when he wakes up refreshed, he'll see that this was completely worth the price._

Helga's Inn was not nearly as inviting on the outside as Anna expected it to be. The structure itself was minimally decorated with a simple iron fenced gate going around the property. There was a large wrap around porch with seating scattered about. To the left of the door was an elder man lounging and smoking his pipe. _Another guest_, Anna figured. However, even from the gate, she could feel the man's gaze on her. Not a curious one for newcomers, but rather harsh, as if he were trying to shoo her and Hans away. She tried her best not to make eye contact.

Hans' hand gripped hers as he unlatched the gate and whispered to her, "let _me_ do the talking."

For once, she had no objections and allowed Hans to lead her up the path onto the raised porch.

"Good evening." Hans said softly with a nod to the old man, and without waiting for a response, he opened the door and allowed Anna inside first.

The entrance hall seemed cozy enough. A few armchairs situated near a warm fireplace, a narrow staircase going straight up, and a large wooden counter off to the side near the door. A young girl was sitting behind it working on some needlepoint and looking bored.

_Is that Helga the amazing cook? _Anna wondered, _she's a lot younger than I thought._

The girl finally looked up once Hans made it inside and closed the door. As they both approached the counter, the girl hopped off her stool and dashed through an open doorway, "Mama! Papa! A customer!"

_Oh. She must be a daughter. I guess this is a family run place._

Soon, a heavyset man approached through the same doorway with the younger girl left watching from the hall.

"Good evening." He said. His voice was gruff, and his eyes traveled back and forth between the pair. "Can we help yeh?"

_Isn't it obvious we want a room?_ Anna kept her thoughts to herself and ran her hands along the strap of her satchel.

"My wife and I were hoping you had a room available." Hans replied in the same friendly tone he used in the street.

"I might," the innkeeper replied and pulled out a large book. "How many nights?"

"Just tonight. We're merely passing through." Hans said, "how much will it cost?"

"That all depends. Lookin' for somethin' spacious? A room with a garden view?" he paused, letting his scrutinizing eyes travel over them again. Longer this time on Anna, "One with a _washtub_ perhaps?"

Anna immediately felt embarrassed to be standing there. It felt as if the man could see every speck of dirt or stray blade of grass or twig stuck to their clothing, worse, any blemishes on her skin. And her braids were practically falling apart from lack of proper care.

_At least we don't really smell…. Do we?_

Still, a bath was a hard thing to pass up right now. "That does sound nice…." Anna sighed out loud before she could silence herself.

Hans eyed her for a moment before readdressing the innkeeper. "A simple room will do. It doesn't have to be fancy or have a special view. Though I suppose, preferably one with a washroom if available."

The innkeeper dragged his finger through the logs. "Well, I've got one room left with a tub. Fifty-five coins."

Anna nearly grabbed the lip of the counter to support herself. At the same time, she felt Hans completely tense up.

"Fifty-five?" He asked, "for _one_ night?"

"Heavy traffic with the King's Festival. Rooms are hard to come by. And that's a nicer one, too."

Anna swallowed and glanced up to Hans. This wouldn't end well. Hans was forced to shell out extra gold just for the horse, so he certainly wouldn't want to pay a hefty surplus _here_ too. No doubt, the instant they were alone, she would get an earful. This entire detour was _her_ idea, after all. There was also the matter of survival afterwards. Anna knew how much money _she_ had in her coin purse when this whole journey started. While she didn't know what Hans' own contribution was, she did know that Greja wasn't the first time they dipped into their pockets for some purchases. There was only so much gold to go around, and once it was gone, acquiring more would be incredibly difficult. Her hopes for small comforts were immediately dashed. This good night's rest was not going to be worth it.

Hans was the one controlling the money; therefore, he held the final say in what was spent. But that didn't mean she couldn't make her voice heard.

Gently, she tugged on his arm, "Hey…" she said softly to him. Defeat was evident across her face, "let's go, Nikki. There's no possible way can afford that."

He frowned at her, and she wondered if was for the situation, or because she used the nickname that he told her not to use. Or both. "I'm sorry."

Anna shrugged sadly, "it's okay. We'll find somewhere else to go."

The innkeeper raised his brow, "We're the only inn in this village."

"Then I suppose we'll have to take our chances." Hans replied, wrapping his arm around Anna's shoulder. He led her towards the door and grasped the knob when the innkeeper suddenly called out to them.

"Wait."

Anna glanced up to Hans before turning around to the man.

"There is… one other room I suppose I can rent out."

Hans brow raised skeptically, and he didn't move away from the door. "How much will it cost?"

"For you? Ten."

Hans crossed his arms as he approached the counter. "Why is this particular one so much less? And why didn't you mention it before?"

"It's small. We keep it empty for visiting family, not guests." He replied. "It's nowhere close to the best that we offer—"

"—We'll take it." Anna blurted out and gave a pleading look to Hans. _She_ had enough to cover that cost and was willing to front the entirety of it herself if he wasn't willing to take the offer.

"Are you sure?" Hans asked.

"Y-yes." Anna said. "I'm tired, Nikki. I just want to sleep."

He shot her another look before reaching into his coat pocket. "What's this room include?"

"A fireplace and a wash area. Your basic comforts." The keeper replied and turned a page in his log. "Now. How about a name?"

Hans sighed and leaned his arms onto the countertop. "Nikolai Wagner."

_Wagner?_ Anna blinked. She watched as Hans signed them into the guestbook.

"There's no key for the room," the keeper said. "Just follow the stairs to the third floor. White door at the far end of the hall. Wait here a moment and it'll be ready."

_Wow. He wasn't kidding…._ Anna thought as she and Hans stepped into their lodging a short time later. The room was indeed small, even smaller because it was crammed with furniture. There was a wardrobe and mirror on one wall; a square table and chairs near the small fireplace in one corner; a curtained off alcove furthest from the door which she assumed contained the washtub and water basin; and a double size bed situated between windows—a bed that was almost too big for the room because the door nearly knocked into the footboard once swung open all the way.

"Well. This is cozy." Hans said and closed and latched the door behind him.

"I can see why he didn't want to give it to us." Anna sighed. She pulled off her satchel and dropped it onto the table. It felt good to get the extra weight off her. "But we did it. We have a place to sleep!"

"Indeed." He placed his bags besides hers and began unbuttoning his greatcoat. "You can go ahead and get settled first. Undress, bathe, whatever you need to do."

Anna nodded and sorted through her satchel for some clean undergarments. Eager for rest, even more so for a bath, she didn't waste much time kicking off her boots and slipping behind the curtain. She didn't linger too long in the tub. A quick scrub and she was done. In the end, it wasn't the thorough clean that she really wanted, but it was better than not bathing at all. It felt good to get out of those dirty clothes.

A clean pair of drawers and a long white shift served as her sleeping garments, and after piling her dirty attire aside, she pulled the curtains over and moved to sit down on the bed.

It creaked under her weight. Loudly.

_Oh, wonderful._

Glancing behind her, she reached for one of the pillows. It was incredibly lumpy and firm, a far cry from the soft luxuries she was accustomed to. But beggars couldn't be choosers. At least it would feel better than using a satchel for a cushion.

Hans glanced over to her when he heard the bed creak. "You're fast."

She shrugged and ran her fingers through her braids, breaking them apart. "I didn't want you blaming me for taking too long."

"You're a woman. I wouldn't have given it a second thought." He replied and gave her a pointed look. "I hope you realize that this _won't_ be every night occurrences. We'll be out of money before a week is out at that rate."

"I know, I get it." She sighed and glanced over at the other pillow. It officially dawned on her that she had to share the bed with Hans. The only other seating in the room was the wooden chair he was occupying. As much as she wanted to force it on him—or the floor—she couldn't. The whole point of this was so they _both_ could get some rest. It just didn't change the fact that sleeping beside Hans would be incredibly awkward.

"Let me guess." His voice startled her. She had no idea he was watching her, "you've never shared a bed before."

"Just with Els—"

"—your sister doesn't count."

Anna shook her head and leveled him a glare. "No. And you have to promise to keep your creepy hands to yourself. _**Do not touch me**_."

He scoffed, "I wouldn't dream of it." He pulled off his boots, then worked on unbuttoning his waistcoat and yanking off his cravat.

"W-wait, what?!" She blurted out with widening eyes when his fingers moved for the buttons on his shirt collar. "What are you doing?!"

"Getting ready for bed." He stated.

Her heart began to race. The last thing she wanted was to see Hans bare. Certainly not _naked_. "Not out here, you're not!" She angrily pointed to the curtain. "back there!"

He rolled his eyes, "I'm not stripping entirely."

"I don't care!" She crossed her arms, "And while you're at it, wash off."

His eyebrow raised. "Well. You certainly got the part of 'nagging wife' down." When her response was a nasty huff and glare in his direction, he grabbed a clean set of clothes and crossed the room.

Anna slumped back against the headboard and fiddled with her copper tresses. From behind the curtain, she could hear Hans shrugging out of his clothes and getting into the water.

"And don't even think about coming out without trousers on."

He groaned loudly, "…anything _else_?!" He was clearly annoyed.

She shrugged and focused on her hair again. "A shirt, too." After a while, she slipped her legs under the blankets. The bed linens were also a far cry from luxury. It made her wonder just how much better the beds were in the pricier guest rooms.

She was starting to doze off when Hans emerged from behind the curtain in a clean linen shirt and a different pair of trousers. A creak in the floorboards jolted her awake and she glanced over to him with a frown.

"Took you long enough."

He shrugged. "I took my time. No one told you to rush."

"Hmmph."

As he walked around to his side of the bed, he paused with his hand on the blankets. "This could be a tight fit." He mused, "I wonder if this 'visiting family' is really a child."

She snorted. "Or this bed is just meant for one. Feel free to sleep on the floor."

"Oh no, no, no." He drew the bedding back and slipped underneath. The bed creaked loudly as he positioned himself beside her. There were only a few inches of free space between each of their shoulders. "I didn't waste all that money to be uncomfortable."

Anna burrowed deeper under the blankets and pulled them up to her chin. "Don't forget your promise."

"I won't touch you."

"Good. Uh… well, good night, I guess." She muttered.

"Good night, _Marit_."

The room stayed quiet with the only sounds coming from the bed as she kept adjusting herself to get comfortable. For as much as she claimed she was exhausted and wanted to rest, now she found herself unable to. She turned her head to glance at Hans. He was laying on his back, his eyes closed. A twinge of jealousy ran through her. Why was it so _easy_ for him? Why was _everything_ so easy for him?

_Think, Anna. How do I fall asleep at home? Ugh. Normally… I don't have this much trouble. _She closed her eyes tight, hoping the darkness would help. It didn't. But another thought did come to her. It was a bit of a distant memory, but she was desperate.

"_Where the north wind meets the sea… there's a river of memory. Come my darling safe and sound, for in this river all is found-"_ she sang softly to herself, though not softly enough. Hans opened his eyes and glanced at her curiously.

"What's that?"

She felt a blush on her cheeks. It wasn't her intention to wake him. "Oh. Um… it's a lullaby my mother would sing when I was younger. It always used to make me sleep."

"It's… interesting." He said and propped himself up on his elbows. "How's the rest go?"

Anna opened her mouth but couldn't bring herself to continue the song. _How _did_ the rest go_? "I… I don't know the rest," she admitted sheepishly. "I think by this time Mama always had me asleep in her arms. She must have had some secret method."

He scoffed and plopped back down onto the mattress, his gaze still on her, "that's not much of a lullaby then."

"I think it was more for Elsa than for me anyway. Doesn't matter, since it isn't helping right now," she sighed and turned to him. "What about you? Do you have any lullabies you remember? Maybe one of those might help?"

His brow furrowed for a moment before shaking his head. "No."

"What? Really?" Anna asked. "Your mother never sang to you when you were a child? Surely there was something she used to help you sleep."

His facial expression morphed into a mixture of pain and anger and he immediately rolled onto his side, putting his back to her. "She didn't. Now go to sleep."

Anna sighed loudly once the bed stopped creaking and stared off at the ceiling. _Why did I even bother trying to bond with him? Every time we talk all I do is make him angry. I guess I can't dwell on Hans. He's an entirely different problem that'll never be solved. Just relax. Count snowgies…. _Eventually, her eyelids grew heavy enough that she dozed off on her own.

Unfortunately, sleep didn't last.

At some point, the fire had gone out and the room was left cold and dark. But that wasn't what plagued her. Anna's eyes snapped open for what seemed the third time that late hour, determined to ward off the latest nightmare plaguing her dreams. She shifted on her side ever so slightly, and the bed creaked under her for the umpteenth time. A sigh escaped her. Never had she slept, or tried to sleep, on a bed so noisy and uncomfortable, and under sheets so rough and scratchy. How she longed to be back in Arendelle, in her own room, in her own cozy bed where she could be safe and warm, free from stress and fear of the unknown.

Laying on her side was now uncomfortable, and in a huff, she rolled over again onto her back. Another pitched squeak broke the room's silence and she frowned, growing more irritated every time she moved.

_How could everything go so horribly wrong? One minute I'm having the time of my life at the Fall Harvest Festival. And the royal ball held in the King's honor probably topped every formal event of my year. Or at least it would have if it didn't end in pure chaos. King Wilhelm is now dead, who knows what's happened to Queen Helene, Prince Oscar, and Princess Josephine. Plus, regal blood from all over the realm are held hostage and now I'm on the run!_

As if the nightmares weren't bad enough, her mind began to have flashbacks to that awful evening. The splendid ball cut short. King Wilhelm lying lifeless on the floor in a pool of blood. Oscar being beaten before her very eyes. Alvanian soldiers bursting into her bedroom. Suddenly, she began to feel a tightness in her chest and immediately she sat up. Part of the bedsheet clutched in her hand moved upwards as she pressed her hands into her chest and took long deep breaths to get the pain to subside. This wasn't the first wave of panic since fleeing Oskberg, and she was certain it wouldn't be the last.

_Arendelle is so far away. There's no real guarantee I'll ever make it home. We still have Alvania of all places to cross, and if we're lucky, make it safely to Corona. How long will that take? How long can I possibly endure—_

Another squeak broke her from her thoughts, followed by an exhausted groan coming from her left.

"What now?"

Anna's eyes narrowed in disgust. It didn't help her spirits any that she was stuck with _Hans_ as her traveling companion and self-proclaimed protector.

_And sham husband._

"I can't sleep," she said in a hushed voice.

"No kidding," his voice dripped heavily with sarcasm.

Anna sighed again, keeping her gaze forward. She was in no mood to deal with him right now. "Just go back to sleep."

"How do you expect me to sleep with you making so much racket?" His right hand popped out from under the blankets and his fingertips grazed against her side.

"Stop!" Anna immediately shifted further to the right and shot him a glare, "you _promised_ you wouldn't touch me." She watched his hand retreat and rub at his tired eyes.

"I barely touched your nightgown. And it was only to get your attention. If you would stop huffing and tossing and making this god-damn bed creak every five minutes, I wouldn't be bothering you at all." He covered his mouth as he yawned, "how hard is it, really? To close your eyes and _lay there_?"

"It's uncomfortable." She complained, "it's lumpy. Noisy—"

"—that's entirely your doing."

She shot him another glare as he interrupted her. "I have no personal space. How do you expect me to sleep? How—" she searched his eyes, "—how can _you_?"

"Considering how we spent the last several days slumped against a tree or on cold hard ground, this feels like a piece of heaven that I am taking full advantage of. Not that it's worth anything now with _you_as a roommate."

With a scoff, Anna turned away and rubbed her arms. "If I bother you that much, go to the stables and sleep with the horse."

"Oh sure. I bet that grouchy caretaker would _love_ that. And it wouldn't do well for our cover." He adjusted his pillow and gave her an incredulous look. "In the position we're in, I don't think you really want to risk that."

He had a point, as usual. "Oh, shut up." She grumbled and laid back down on her side.

"Nah-ah. I don't think so." Hans said suddenly as soon as her head hit the pillow and he reached his arm over to prod her shoulder. "We're not playing this game again. Come here."

Anna barely lifted her head up to glance over her shoulder, "why?"

"Because I for one, would actually like to sleep soundly for what few hours we have before dawn. And I can't do that if you get restless all over again."

She stared long and hard at him. _He can't be suggesting what I think he is_. His fingers curled, beckoning her over to confirm her suspicions. _God, he is_.

"If you honestly think my snuggling up with _you _is going to make me feel _better_—"

"Well, you are my wife…." There was only the barest hint of amusement in his otherwise dry tone.

"I would rather break your nose again than indulge your sick-twisted-lover's fantasy!" She spat in return.

"And I would rather you stop fighting me just once and cater to this little request. I'm only asking so I can help you sleep, not to take away your precious virtue. The fact of the matter is, we paid a lot for this room because _you_ wanted a good night's rest. And now that we're here, I refuse to let you ruin it for the both of us." The amusement was long gone, and his face was completely serious, "Now, are you going to scoot over willingly, or do I have to drag you?"

She couldn't believe she was even entertaining this notion. "But you promised—"

"—and I swear on my honor, I won't do anything unsavory."

"You're already unsavory…" she muttered and flipped herself over. This was a battle she clearly lost. It didn't take long before she felt his arm wrap around her back and draw her to him, essentially pushing her up into his side. She let out a quiet squeak as her head fell onto his chest and her arm splayed over him. Her heart began to thump harder when she glanced up at his face, expecting some typical smug. Instead, the seriousness and arrogance were gone, replaced with some exhausted, neutral mask. At least in the dark, he wouldn't be able to see the flush her in her cheeks from laying so intimately with him.

"So…" she felt his free hand take hold of hers, effectively holding her in place. "Do you think you can manage a decent rest?"

"…I… I guess." Anna huffed and turned her head away from his gaze.

_It's not like I have much choice._

The room grew silent again, and she was sure Hans had already fallen back to sleep. Unfortunately, she was far too tense to doze off, at least right now. Every so often though, she could feel Hans' other hand move up and down her back, as if he could feel her tension and soothe her to sleep. She certainly wouldn't call this new position of hers comfortable in the slightest. Not with the bitter hostility she felt towards him. But he was also a source of warmth that the room now lacked. His broad chest _was_ a better alternative to her lumpy pillow. And his strong arms around her did make her feel _comforted_. Secure even. Being on the run with so much uncertainty, it was a nice feeling, knowing she wasn't truly alone.

Still, she tried not to dwell too much on it. Regardless of their situation, of his efforts, Hans was still Hans, and she was certain hell itself would freeze over before she ever admitted to his face that resting in his arms truly was putting her at ease.

It was going to be a long night.


	12. False Hope

Captain Hostetter of the Southern Isles Royal Navy was always a man who followed orders. He worked more years under kings' command than most of his comrades. Here, being able to personally serve his queen and prince was an honor only to be topped by the king himself. He, along with the rest of his crew were delighted to hear the news that Queen Charlotte chose their vessel as transport to and from Rheland's festival. Their mission was a simple one, though It didn't stop King Frederick from boarding the vessel and giving the captain a brief but stern warning while Charlotte got herself settled into her state room.

"_Constant vigilance. Be mindful of your surroundings. Protect the Queen at all costs."_

Weeks of peaceful days left the ominous message forgotten. While the ship was docked at Jarven, Rheland's largest northern port city, the shipmen still had plenty of opportunities to enjoy their time away from home. Each man was given a small stipend for some of the daily activities held in the city, so long as their duties were performed in a timely manner. Morale was high, even on colder, rainy days when there were only chores to be done.

Everything changed three days prior on the last Saturday morning they were to spend in Rheland. Hostetter remembered sitting in his state room with his first officer going over the schedule of departure when one of his deckhands burst into his quarters, red faced and gasping for breath.

"_Alvanian soldiers in the city!"_

Those haunted cries changed everything. He and his officers rushed above deck to see chaos in the village. Members of the city's garrison wielding their king's crest were shot down by crossbow as they rushed to defend the innocent. Shipmen on leave were scrambling to return to their vessels. Hollering from the crow's nest redirected attention to the seas where ships were entering the harbor bearing the Alvanian flag. Everything was happening so fast before his eyes. Between people yelling on deck, citizens rushing about on dry land, it was hard to focus and consider options, even though there were ultimately only two choices. They could either remain docked and resort to become eyewitnesses to whatever the Alvanians had in store. Or they could set sail.

But how could they possibly leave? How could he justify abandoning his queen?

His first officer was now shouting near his ear and gesturing to the fellow ships in the harbor. The flagship vessel that brought King Alastor of Malengrad was being boarded. The few deckhands that tried to fight back were instantly taken down. The Obresh kingdom's vessel was next, though seeing the fate of their comrades in the next ship over, decided to value their lives over their vessel and submitted to the armed assailants. Hostetter watched with horror. Their ship was further down on the docks, and the soldiers had yet to reach his vessel. But each passing second sealed their fate, and it was becoming clear that these invaders had no intentions of letting anyone leave port.

He never considered himself a coward. Never did he flee from a scene like a dog with a tail between its legs. Never did he let an enemy board his vessel. His ship was one of the finest in the King's fleet. And the Southern Isles had the most powerful navy in all the realm. If the Alvanians were starting a fight, then _he_ intended to fight back.

The instant his entire crew were accounted for, the gangplank was ripped away from the dock and anchor hoisted. He made his choice, though the implications tore at his heart. Nothing disturbed him more than to set sail and leave his queen and prince behind. But what could possibly be done? She was in Oskberg, miles inland. He could only pray that Prince Hans would be there to protect her where he could not. For the first time in his career, he disobeyed orders from his king, and the rallying speech he gave his men still haunted him.

"_Set sail!" _He bellowed to his men, _"Get us out of here. For now, we must act swiftly to ensure our own survival, and by doing so, the survival of our royal masters. Set your course straight for those incoming ships! Our allies are under attack, and we will not stand by while they fall to ruin. Doing this, we must leave our Queen and Prince behind, but we shall return for them with the power of the fleet by our side. We represent the strength and fury of our mighty king. We are the grand navy of the Southern Isles."_

His ship took far more damage than he anticipated, but it still came out of the battle faring far better than the Alvanian frigate. While the shipmen worked around the clock to make needed repairs, he retreated into his cabin. Blasting their way through the blockade was on the first of his many trials.

As he sank down in his chair and buried his face into his hands, he stressed over the days long journey to return home. While the three days travel _to_ Rheland felt like a breeze, he knew the return trip would feel like an eternity. He prayed for decent weather and steady winds to fuel his damaged sails.

The instant the ship's bell rang signaling land in sight on that third afternoon, Hostetter's heart began to race as he fretted over how he would address King Frederick with not only the terrible news of their escape, but the additional truth that Queen Charlotte and Prince Hans were still in harm's way.

* * *

Queen Charlotte rose from the armchair situated before the large wooden desk in King Wilhelm—now Viktor Beker's study and began to move aimlessly about the grand room. It seemed she was waiting an eternity for Beker to show his face. Why the guard brought her in so early was beyond her.

Even though the entirety of her past days were spent in her room, the little bit of stimulating activity wasn't enough to keep her energetic. She found yesterday in particular to be exhausting. Not physically since most hours were spent lounging either on her bed or the chaise. But mentally…

She felt as if she was drowning in stress. After that one afternoon, she had not been allowed to see Agatha. Without knowing what was going on downstairs, she grew more concerned for her oldest and dearest friend. Thaw wasn't even scratching the surface on her own predicament, and the plight of so many others in the castle.

Naturally, what weighed heavily was Hans, and how he was getting along with Anna. That one moment when Anna's castle disappearance went noticed gave her so much relief. Knowing they got away brought so much hope that things would be set right. Granted, it could take time, but she would be willing to wait.

In the meantime, she could do whatever she could to learn more about Beker's plans, and if lucky enough, find a way to send a message to her husband. Some way, somehow, the right moment would present itself.

Today was different, though. Instead of waking on her own, her slumber was rudely interrupted by her stationed guard banging loudly on her door and ordering her up and dressed within ten minutes. Charlotte's first reaction was that Beker planned to return to her chamber. Instead, as she waited for the inevitable meeting, the guard burst in—three minutes too early—and roughly yanked her by the arm out of her bedroom. The last place she imagined being dumped was the former king's study.

She passed by an end table and moved to sit at the padded window ledge. As her fingers brushed the red velvet curtains aside, the guard at the door barked at her suddenly, making her jump.

"_Away from the window!"_

Her hand pressed over her chest at the rapid beating of her heart, and she turned around to glare at the man. "Why? What harm is it to glance through a pane of glass?" She snapped. "I doubt your lord and master could care less. He can't even bother to come to his own meeting on time." When all she received was another stern look, she pushed the curtain aside once more and returned her attention to the window. The study offered a vastly different view than her bedchamber window, and after looking at the same garden for over a month—and an indefinite time still to come—seeing a new area of the grounds was indeed welcoming.

Charlotte could hear the door open behind her but didn't bother to turn around. If it were Beker, he could wait. After all, she was for him for quite a while.

"See something you like?"

She reluctantly tore her gaze away from the serene gardens below. Viktor Beker was casually perched at the corner of the desk with his arms loosely crossed in front of him. There was a light, curious expression on his face, much like the one he flashed when they first met. That was one uncomfortable encounter that she _didn't_ want to think about.

"Flowers." She replied shortly and looked outside once more.

"If I recall, there's an entire flower garden outside your bedchamber."

"These are different."

Beker raised his brow. "Shall I have a servant bring clippings to your room?"

She shrugged, "that's not necessary." The room remained quiet for several minutes, and if it weren't for the clearing of his throat, she would have forgotten he was in the room with her. "Why did you bring me here?"

"For a chat."

"You're not doing very much of it."

"Perhaps I'm waiting for your undivided attention." He replied. "So… shall I come to the window? Or will you join me here?"

Her back instantly stiffened at the question. "You're letting me choose?" Her eyes glanced to him briefly. "Does this one come with consequences as well?"

He couldn't resist chuckling, "No, not at all. Just decide where you're most comfortable."

"I am most comfortable back in my chambers. _Alone_. But that wasn't an option." She sighed and reluctantly stood up to return to her former seat by the desk.

"Splendid!" Beker grinned and swung his body to lean against the front of the desk to face her.

"Why did you summon me?" She asked again, "What is this about?"

The amusement slowly drained from his face. "A more serious nature, I'm afraid. If there's one thing I know about castles, it's how quickly news spreads. Surely you've heard about a recent prison break of ours?"

Charlotte did her best to show her purely innocent face. "You mean everyone's shouting and commotion the other day?"

He nodded, "yes, that. I want to make sure you're aware that instances like that will _not_ happen again. Therefore, I would dissuade you from any future escape attempts." He said calmly, "I'd hate for you—or anyone else—to be needlessly hurt."

She wasn't convinced of his sincerity and raised her brow, "Do I look like someone who could manage an escape?"

"I didn't expect our escapee to leave the nest, so at the moment I suspect everyone."

Charlotte folded her hands in her lap as a sour feeling started to form in her stomach, "Who left?"

He leaned forward slightly, bracing himself on his knees, "wouldn't you like to know?"

She shrugged. "You shared this much."

"Perhaps that was all you were summoned for."

"I doubt that. You kept me waiting for far longer than this conversation would have been worth."

He chuckled once. "Princess Anna of Arendelle."

Charlotte widened her eyes to maintain her façade, "What? How?"

"And here I was hoping you could tell _me_."

Her head shook slowly, "I'm afraid I don't understand—"

"As the Princess of Vallacia, you and Princess Anna were neighbors. I'd wager you knew her better than most-"

"On the contrary," She replied, "the princess and I have only met on a handful of occasions. Even here at the festival, we've barely had time to catch up. To be honest, aside from this festival, I hadn't seen her since my wedding. We were at the King's ball together, though we barely spoke." Her eyes narrowed, "we might have had the chance had _you_ not ruined things."

He didn't seem fazed by her accusation, "be that as it may, I'm certain you had a hand in her flight."

"And what is giving you that impression?"

His eyebrow raised suspiciously, "Your lack of genuine surprise, for one."

"Well," She began carefully, "with your men screaming up and down the halls, it wasn't hard to put the pieces together that _someone_ went missing."

"Would you care to speculate how the Arendellian princess managed to flee?"

"Not particularly." Charlotte bristled, "and I'm sure you're going to tell me anyway."

Beker's head tilted as he stared her down, watching for a crack in her mask. "She snuck out the window."

"And you discovered this how? A bedsheet over the balcony?"

He couldn't help but laugh. "What an amusing thought! Oh, if only she chose such a crude method, we would have caught up to her long ago." He shook his head, "No. Aside from a trail of down soldiers, I'm afraid your young friend took a far more subtle approach. But it's no matter. I have men all over this kingdom. She'll be apprehended before too long."

Her jaw tensed. "Well then," she said sharply and took some slower, deeper breaths, "if that's all, may I return to my chamber?"

"Oh no. I haven't even gotten to the best part."

His choice of words made her stomach turn again. "What then?"

He smirked briefly, hopped off the desk and walked around behind it. There was a bit of a messy pile in the far corner. Books, parchment, but what he was more interested in was a deep red sash with an insignia pin attached to one side. He held it up and turned it about in his hands.

"Recognize this?"

Charlotte sighed and reluctantly turned her head to see what he was going on about. Her heart sank the instant her eyes landed on the sash. Naturally, she recognized it. There was an identical one in her room that she wore to the ball. Except while hers was still in pristine condition, this one had some dirt marks and wrinkles along the edges. If this was now in Beker's possession, that meant he, or at least his men, have been through Hans' belongings.

"Suddenly, you're not very cheeky." He commented, "That's alright. You know, my men searched everywhere for that princess until it became obvious that she was no longer on the castle grounds. So, we did some more digging." He slowly walked back around the desk with the sash still clutched in his hands. "It turns out Princess Anna isn't the tidiest royal. Her room was a mess. Clothes, belongings strewn everywhere. And her bad habits weren't contained. Could you imagine our surprise that the chamber beside hers was in a similar state of disarray?" He stopped near the fireplace and stared at the flames within.

Charlotte could feel her heart racing as her hands fidgeted with the pleats in her skirt.

"There were bits of dirt and twigs on the floor by the balcony door, and similar marks in Princess Anna's chamber. It's clear we didn't have one escape, but two." He moved about the room again stopped before her, dumping the sash right into her lap. "Finding this, well… it certainly made this situation even more intriguing. This morning, while you were patiently waiting in here for _me_, my assistant and I did a little search through _your_ chambers—"

"—_What?!"_ She stared at him, shocked. "How dare you!"

He shook his head and moved back behind the desk with his hands clasped behind his back, "Oh no, Milady, how dare _you_. Do you know what we found in your room? More dirt marks in your rug—"

"—How can you be sure _your men_ didn't track that mess in?"

His brow raised. "My soldiers don't make a habit of entering through high up windows." He cleared his throat and leaned forward, bracing both palms down on the wood surface. "Let's cut through the nonsense, shall we?" He reached through the pile and pulled out a narrower piece of parchment, then slid it across the desk towards her. "That's a page of your stationary. And I'm sure you don't need me to point out that the royal insignia matches the pin on that sash."

"…no."

"SO. Who else are we missing?" He watched and sighed as she kept her gaze down on her lap. "Who came with you to Rheland?"

Charlotte took a deep breath and maintained her silence. There wasn't much hope at this point, but even a few minutes of silence could spare Hans some extra time.

"Well." He cleared his throat and straightened up. "It seems you no longer have a voice. No matter. There are others in this castle who can tell me what I want to know." His brow furrowed, "Queen Helene, perhaps-"

The mentioning of the queen made Charlotte glance up at him. The satisfied look on his face ran a shiver down her spine.

"—or even the young Princess Josephine." He remarked casually, "Surely she would know—" he waved a hand towards the guard at the door.

"-NO!" Without hesitation, Charlotte immediately jumped to her feet and instantly regretted it. The quick movement spurred on a wave of nausea, and she had to clutch the back of her chair to keep herself upright.

"Ah, so it seems I've gotten a rise from you. Good…."

He kept talking, but she stopped listening. She knew his behavior was sickening, and he purposefully threw Helene and Josephine's names out to rattle her. What she didn't expect was such a sudden, violent reaction from within. She took a few deep breaths, hoping it would let the sickness subside.

_Where was this coming from?_ She wondered. It couldn't have been anything she ate—not today at least. Beker was putting her through an interrogation before she could even get a proper breakfast. Was the stress really getting to her? Only a few days had passed, and most of them were dull. If this predicament would affect her so strongly _now_, there'd be no doubt she'd be in for far worse as time moved forwards.

As another wave of nausea came and went, one thing was certain. She couldn't stay in King Wilhelm's study any longer. It was only a matter of time before she ended up retching. And disgracing herself by ruining the king's desk and study was not on her agenda.

Though if she were far less a proper lady, she'd have no qualms releasing the contents of her stomach all over Beker himself.

"—may I be excused?" She managed to get out after another deep breath.

"You're avoiding my question, Your Majesty." He said dryly.

_What question?_ She didn't recall him asking anything. Though, she wasn't paying attention, either.

"I'm unwell."

"Yes, I can see that." He replied, walking around the desk to stand before her. His hand came up and the back met her forehead. A gentle press, nothing more. "You're rather warm."

His hand was cool against her skin and at first it felt good. But because of who he was, she immediately recoiled backwards. "Don't… don't touch me."

He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "Answer my questions and you may return to your room. Since you're suddenly too ill to withstand a simple conversation, I think you'll find this a reasonable bargain. Who came with you?"

His eyes bore hard into hers and she soon had to look away. There wasn't much point to holding her tongue anymore. "…Prince Hans."

"See? That wasn't so hard." He shrugged and waved towards the man beside the door. "Take the queen back to her chambers. Be Though. She seems a bit frail."

"…Yes, Sir."

"Do make haste, I fear she'll only turn you into a chamber pot if timing isn't on your side." Beker cleared his throat, "And have that maid of hers tend to her care. If she's contagious, let her own servant risk dealing with her."

Letting go of the chair, Charlotte eyed Beker carefully before turning around for the door. The guard immediately opened it and gave her plenty of room, a far cry from her treatment this morning.

"Ah... just a minute though." Beker's voice sounded behind her just as she was about to step through the doorway, and she turned back to him. "One more question." His eyes narrowed, "Where were they headed?"

She shook her head slightly and matched his gaze. She only uttered one word to him before escaping into the hallway.

"Home."

* * *

Prince Astor leaned back in his seat and stretched out his arms. He had cooped himself up in the castle library as a place of refuge from most of his brothers. As the Southern Isles ambassador, and more recently, the family appointed therapist, much of the prince's time was eaten up—not by his work, but by too many of his siblings as they constantly sought him out to complain or vent about every little inconvenience. Frequent grievances were of the eldest brother and his overbearing no-nonsense-attitude. The library was the one place where the neediest of Westergaards never dared venture. He was pleased to be able to spread out his parchment and books, and work in peace.

As time went on, even with all the window curtains wide open, it was getting hard to see. The sun was setting, therefore that was his cue to stop for the day. Dinner would be ready within the hour, and he did promise chess matches with Viktor and Georg afterwards.

After piling his books neatly on the table, he gathered up his paperwork and left the library to retreat to his small study. Along the way, he passed by the south parlor. From the hall, he could hear Dirk and Derrick's voices inside.

"…_You'll never believe this,_ Dirk was saying, _"I swear, I'm not making this up._"

"_Yeah right…."_

That was Lars' bored tone. Astor was able to subtly peek inside without being seen. Lars was lounging on a sofa looking up at his two younger twin brothers as they moved about the room.

"it's true. I was there! Derrick, too!"

"Yeah well…."Derrick shrugged nonchalantly, "My attention was a bit divided."

"Let me guess." Lars sighed and picked some fluff from his tunic. "Blonde or brunette?"

"What makes you think I can only settle for one at a time?"

"…you've only got one mouth. A large one, but y'know…"

Derrick smirked and wiggled his fingers, "but I have _two hands_…"

_O-okay, that's enough of that drivel._ Astor shuddered. Listening in on his brothers' activities among the houses of ill repute were enough to make him ill. And he was so looking forward to the dinner menu tonight.

"_Will you knock it off and let me tell you what I saw?_" Dirk's impatient voice faded out as Astor rounded the corner and retreated down another corridor. His study was just up ahead, and right as his hand wrapped around the round door handle, there was the sound of footfalls behind him.

"Your Royal Highness!"

With a quick sigh, Astor turned around to see one of the castle guards approaching at a brisk pace with a naval officer hot on his heels. His eyes shifted from one man to the other. The soldier, he recognized, but not the officer. He wore a captain's uniform, but rather than appear clean and composed, the man looked a bit of a wreck. The uniform was dirty and wrinkled. Exhaustion showed across the man's features.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" Astor asked. "What can I do for you?"

"Ambassador, Sir." The guard bowed respectfully. "This man seeks an immediate audience with the King."

"Ah." Astor nodded slowly, "Unfortunately, my brother doesn't wish to be disturbed—" the man's shoulders instantly slumped, and he quickly tried to reassure him, "—but perhaps I can be of assistance." After signaling for the soldier to leave, he stepped aside to allow the captain into his study.

"I… appreciate your time, Ambassador." The man said with a sigh, "however, I'm not quite sure what you can do."

"Well, you're lucky to find _me_. I'm one of the only people in the castle who the king can tolerate right now. You've got a better chance of earning an audience with him with me by your side."

The captain slowly sank into a wooden chair by the desk. His hands nervously ran along the arm rests as he took in deep breaths. "I'm not entirely sure how to proceed."

"Start simple." Astor suggested and sat in his own chair behind the desk and folded his hands on the wood surface.

"Ny name is Leon Hostetter. I'm the Captain of the HMS Elskere—"

"—_The Elskere_?" Astor interrupted. The names sounded familiar. Almost instantly it hit him, and his eyes widened. "Oh-_ooh…_" He said softly. In any other circumstance, he would excitedly welcome the man home and inquire about the journey away from the kingdom. However, the clues before him all suggest the opposite. The dirty disheveled uniform, the nerves. That didn't even include the obvious giveaways.

"You're a few days early." Astor remarked softly. He leaned forward in his seat. Any curiosity vanished his face, "and I'm going to assume based on your somber expression and the lack of excitement surging through the castle, that you returned alone."

Hostetter shook his head, "that is what I need to speak to His Majesty about. You see…" He swallowed hard and began to retell the disturbing events that unfolded days prior.

Astor immediately jumped to his feet with widened eyes and a horrified expression across his features. "…well shit…" He mumbled, unable to find proper words. Glancing back to the captain, he sighed, "Apologies for my vulgarity."

"—No, Your Highness," Hostetter waved a dismissive hand, "I'm afraid that's all I've been saying, too. To be honest, the last few days have felt like such a daze that I haven't even cared if my own men swore in my presence."

The prince shook his head slowly. "I can only imagine the stress. How many men were lost?"

"Seven," Hostetter replied grimly. "Five from weapons fire. Two when the mast came down. But we were lucky. Sailors from Malengrad… they were slaughtered on the deck of their own vessel for showing resistance."

Astor nodded. "When you can, give me the list of those lost. I'll help you notify their families." He cleared his throat after a few minutes of silence, "What a fool I was…. To think that something like this _wouldn't_ happen…."

"…Sir?"

"You have no idea how many conversations I had with The King, trying to convince him otherwise." Astor sighed, "He's certainly proved me wrong."

_And I will never hear the end of this._

"None of us expected it, either." Hostetter said, "The attack came out of nowhere. There was sunshine, merriment. And then instant chaos."

Astor began pacing about. "There's no telling what's going on there now. I shudder to think what's happened in Oskberg."

Hostetter's hands fidgeted along the brim of his cap sitting on his lap, "I fear for the Queen—and the Prince. We don't know what the Alvanians have in store." He shook his head, "I've never felt more ashamed of something out of my control. It was a mistake to cast off; to abandon my queen; to defy my orders."

Astor came around and placed a comforting hand on the man's slumped shoulder. "On the contrary. You did the right thing. Your brave actions provided us valuable information. That is intel we never would have been privy to until far too late."

"It's already too late." Hostetter replied grimly. "And I fled. A coward's move."

"You saved the lives of your men." Astor countered. "Remember that, and don't let The King's response tell you otherwise. I can assure you; he will not take to the news as calmly as I have."

Hostetter gulped, "What shall he be told?"

"The truth." Astor shrugged, "That his wife isn't coming home."

The pair reluctantly left the study and started down the hall towards the monarch's chamber.

"How… how can you be so composed?" Hostetter asked as they moved through the castle.

"Believe me, I'm just as shattered as you are." Astor said with a sigh, "But mixing your stress with my brother's anger will already end badly. _Someone_ in the room must keep a level head. There will be plenty of time for my own breakdown when I'm alone."

The Captain groaned, "it seems—" he stopped short as they rounded the corner. The double doors to the dining room were open, and a crowd of servants were huddled at the entrance. He exchanged glances with the ambassador. "…what's this?"

"Good question." Astor's eyes immediately narrowed as he approached the crowd. "Don't you all have duties to perform? Or is there entertainment tonight that I wasn't told about?"

His voice wasn't harsh, but it got his point across. Footmen and maids dispersed and soon the men were able to get close enough to the entrance to hear what got everyone's attention in the first place.

"_I can't believe the captain had the nerve to port such a piece of scrap in the king's dock!"_

Astor recognized that voice immediately as Dirk's. And judging by the slurs and inflections used, he was clearly still as intoxicated as he was earlier.

"_Well, it's got to dock somewhere._"

_Alexei?_ Astor stepped into the doorway and watched the scene unfold. Most of his family were huddled around the far end of the dining table. They didn't notice nor care that he was listening in.

"It's better off staying out in the middle of the sea," Dirk drawled and poured himself another glass of wine, "It's a disgrace to the navy."

"It's true," Derrick chimed in, "He showed it to me. The frame has more patches than some peasant's old worn-through breeches. Or…Hey, Tomas. What's that cheese you're so fond of? The one with the holes?"

"…Swiss?"

"Yeah! That's a good description for it."

Hostetter's face turned red with anger and he tried to shove his way into the dining room. Astor's arms quickly spayed out and dragged him back before his outburst could be noticed. "You are not about to engage my brothers!" Astor hissed and pushed the captain up against the corridor wall.

"They insulted my crew and my ship!"

"I can assure you, Dirk and Derrick dishonor anything and everything that crosses their path. Don't take it personally." He put a finger to his lips and stepped back in to observe the rest of the conversation.

"It's clear the Elskere will never sail again."

"Wait. _The Elskere_?" Alexei's voice interrupted. "That's the ship?"

"Yeah." Dirk said. "So?"

Alexei jumped out of his seat and yanked the goblet from his brother's hand. "The Elskere is the ship that Charlotte and Hans were on!"

"Thank god!" Tomas exhaled, "That means she's back. Freddy can stop being such a brooding ass—"

"Where is she?" Georg asked. "We have to welcome her! Maybe wrap her with a bow and surprise him."

Dirk shrugged casually. "I didn't say she came back."

Viktor roughly shoved Dirk into the nearest chair. "What?! Why didn't you say so first?"

"What difference does it make? Nothing's changed."

"She's our queen! Your sister! You fucking-idiot!" Alexei yelled, getting the surprised attention of every prince in the room.

"Oooh, little Admiral Alexei bares his teeth…." Dirk cooed.

Alexei's hand came up to slap Dirk in the face, "You didn't think her vessel arriving in shambles _without her_ was important?"

"Or Hans…" Georg added, exchanging glances with his twin brother.

"Please. Hans can stay in Rheland for all we care." Derrick snorted.

"Dirk, how many people know about this? What about _Frederick_? Don't you think he has a right to know?!" Viktor demanded.

"Like hell if I'm going to be the one to tell him. I'd like to live, thank you very much."

Astor didn't wait for the rest of the interrogation to play out. Subtlety was not a strong suit for much of the family and judging by the number of servants crowded at the door, news of the vessel's return would spread like wildfire throughout the castle. Even worse, when he realized that the earlier conversation that he eavesdropped on was no doubt yet another retelling of this story. Without hesitation, he grabbed the captain's arm and dragged him away.

"C'mon. We have to hurry." Astor hissed, "It'll be a hell-of-a-lot worse if the news reaches my brother before you do."

Down the corridors, up two flights of stairs, by the time they reached the king's private study, they both were out of breath. Hostetter leaned against the wall and looked at the prince, "This will be my end, I know it."

"No." Astor said, "but I won't sugar-coat it. It will certainly feel like it for as long as we're in there. Compose yourself the best you can. From this moment on, everything is about to change."

One long deep breath later, Astor raised his hand and swiftly knocked on the large door. There wasn't a response, not that he was anticipating one. He knew Frederick wanted to be left alone. It didn't stop him from knocking once more and then pushing his way into the chamber. Hostetter followed only a few steps behind him.

Frederick was seated behind his parchment-littered desk. It was a sight Astor had gotten used to. Over the last few weeks, the usually neat and organized monarch let some messier habits take over. He attributed it to stress levels and assumed everything would sort out when the festival ended, and things returned to normal.

Now, he knew things would become far worse before ever getting better.

Frederick was hunched forward, reading over a large document. If he was aware of the intruders in his space, he didn't let on.

"Fred—"

"—I'm _not_ hungry." Frederick interrupted without looking up. "You all can start without me."

"We're not here about dinner." Astor sighed.

"Then whatever it is, I'm not interested." His eyes glanced up to briefly land on his brother before going back to the paper. He didn't even notice the sea captain standing a few steps behind. "And I'm busy. Whatever it is, it can wait."

"No. It can't." Astor came closer and slammed his palms down on the desk. "And I'm going to stand here until you address us."

Frederick sighed heavily at the outburst. He tossed the parchment down onto the desk and leaned back in his chair. "Fine. You have my attention. What do you want?"

Astor straightened up and waved his hand to signal the captain to step forward out of his shadow.

"Y-Your Majesty—" Hostetter said softly with a respectful bow.

Frederick's eyes shifted to the left, and the instant they landed on Hostetter, the recognition showed across his face. "Captain Hostetter…." He said softly. A relieved smile was working its way out as the initial shock hit him. "You're… you're early." The smile widened at the assumed meaning of their visit and slowly, he rose to his feet. "Then… the Qu—" His voice left him as he got a closer look at his officer. The exhaustion, disarray, and overall discomfort was enough for the euphoria to wear off. His eyes then traveled to his brother. The solemn expression instantly wiped the relief and budding excitement from his features, and he developed a deeper frown of his own.

"Frederick…" Astor sighed heavily, "There's something you need to hear…."


	13. Too Close for Comfort

"…How dare you!" Frederick roared. One rapid swipe of his arm cleared his littered desk. Parchment pages fluttered all over the floor, and many of them crunched under the king's boots as he whipped around the desk.

"Frederick, will you calm—"

Frederick could feel his left eye twitch as he turned to face his brother. "Oh, don't you dare tell _me_ to calm down. And don't you stand there unphased by this turn of events." His eyes narrowed, "in case it hasn't sunk in through your skull, _my wife_ has been abandoned in a foreign land where who-knows-what is happening!"

The King's hands flexed in and out of fists as he advanced on Captain Hostetter. The man hadn't uttered a word since initially describing the attack. He merely stood in place, cap clutched in his nervous hands, and watched as Frederick's rage boiled to the surface.

"And _you_…" Frederick spat, "How could you do this to me? To your kingdom?! I trusted you! How misguided I was—"

"Your Majesty, I—"

"You betrayed me!" Frederick shouted and caused Hostetter to take a step back, "You disobeyed my orders. For such a decorated officer, I expected far more than a coward's retreat…"

Astor shook his head and stepped forward as Frederick continued to berate the captain. He could tell where this was going to lead. Past experience has shown him that Frederick would lose his logical filter if he got angry enough.

Though, by the words coming out of Frederick's mouth, the filter was lost about five minutes ago.

"Fred, stop it…"

His words fell on deaf ears to both Frederick and Hostetter, as the captain decided that now was a good time to make any form of defense for himself.

"…with all due respect, Your Majesty, I am _no_ coward!"

"Like hell you are! You abandoned your queen! Left her behind to fend for herself in the middle of an invasion!"

"I had no choice!" Hostetter replied, "What was I to do? Let those invaders board my vessel? Murder my men? Sail here on false pretenses—"

"_I can't believe Alexei is making us do this…."_

"_Well, the sooner we get it over with, the sooner we can eat. I'm starving."_

Dirk and Derrick's voices could be heard in the corridor, and before either the Captain or the King could utter another word, the younger twins pushed their way into the chamber.

"Ah, Freddy. There you are." Derrick said and glanced around the room, "God, this place is a mess."

"_Out_." Frederick growled, not taking his eyes off Hostetter.

"Look. We gotta talk to you," Dirk replied anyway, "It's kinda impor—" He paused, surveying the scene before him. Astor off to the side with his arms crossed; Frederick practically towering over some sea captain; "Oh, wonderful. You're already in a bad mood. Just promise not to shoot the messenger—"

What little bit of control Frederick had left was instantly gone. Reaching behind him, he snatched up an empty decanter off the desk and hurled it at the twins. It smashed against the wall barely a foot away from where Derrick was standing.

"HEY!"

"That almost hit him!"

"_**I SAID GET OUT!"**_

The twins didn't need to be told twice. Their boots crunched through the broken glass as they fled in a panic. Frederick then returned his full attention back to Hostetter. There was still a venomous look in his eye. As he straightened himself up to go another verbal round with Hostetter, he was suddenly startled by Astor pushing his way between the gentlemen with raised palms.

"Frederick!" Astor said softly, "_Stop_."

"Stand aside, Astor." Frederick muttered.

"I will not," Astor replied calmly and then glanced over his shoulder at the Captain. "Would you mind leaving us for a moment?"

Hostetter's gaze bounced between the two royals before he reluctantly nodded. "Yes, Sir…" A quick bow and he stepped out into the corridor. The door shut behind him.

"You had no right to—"

"Yes, I did." Astor interrupted. "Because you and I both know that if I stood there and did nothing, you would have said something—or worse—_done something_ regrettable."

"Hardly." Frederick sneered, "that man betrayed me. Betrayed_ Charlotte_. He deserves far worse than some simple verbal lashing."

"He's an innocent man and deep down, you know it, too." Astor narrowed his eyes and grasped onto his brother's arm. He tugged Frederick over to a set of armchairs near the fireplace and pushed him down into one of them. "You're angry. I get it. I understand," He said much softer, "but right now you're letting pure rage consume you—"

"_I am not_."

Astor immediately deadpanned, "I just listened to your vengeful tirade for the last fifteen minutes. You nearly took out Derrick's head. And I get the impression that Captain Hostetter would have been next."

Frederick frowned and looked off to the side, to the flickering flames. His lack of eye contact confirmed Astor's suspicions.

"Frederick, it's okay," Astor sighed and placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "You can lower your walls. Let what you're feeling come out. No one will judge you or make you feel weak for expressing yourself. It's just you and me."

"I am _not_ weak. I am the king—"

"A king who has just lost his queen in a violent uprising." Astor butted in, "Take a deep breath, and process things one at a time."

Frederick's eyes closed and his head fell to his arm propped up on the chair's armrest. "I _knew_ it. I _knew_ this would happen," he sighed as he took a deep breath. His fingers rubbed at his temple. "No one wanted to believe me. Not _you, _not _Lottie_. My gut told me it was wrong, and I gave you the benefit of the doubt. Look how well it turned out."

Astor was silent for a moment before giving a light shrug of his shoulders. "Well, you know, it could always be worse—"

"_WORSE_?!" Frederick leapt to his feet and roughly shoved his brother back a few steps, "How could things get _worse_? My wife is stranded! Who knows what's been going on out there? For all we know, the Alvanians have stormed the capitol and killed everyone!"

"I highly doubt that—"

"—You don't know! No one does!"

Astor held out his hands, hoping to subdue the next wave of rage threatening to come out. "Charlotte is probably fine. What reason would they have to hurt her?"

"What reason did the Alvanians have to storm Rheland's port and murder innocent civilians and sailors?! There's no logic to any of this!"

"There may be—we're just not privy to it." Astor replied, "Besides, there's always the chance that Charlotte and Hans are out of harm's way."

"_No!_" Frederick began pacing frantically, "There's no chance of that now. Do you know why?" He angrily pointed towards the door, "because that _coward_ decided to hoist anchor and _leave_. There's nowhere for her to go—"

"Well, seeing as Alvania blocked off the northern ports, it wouldn't have mattered if Charlotte and Hans managed to get back to the ship."

"The chance was still there." Frederick walked back behind his desk and braced his palms down on the wood surface. "Not any longer." His eyes narrowed as they stared hard at the wooden door—as if he could see Captain Hostetter waiting in the corridor. "That man won't get away with this. He disgraced the entire navy."

Astor shook his head and moved to the other side of the desk to block Frederick's stare. "What did you really expect him to do, Fred? Sit tight in port as it suffered an attack? Surrender his vessel—his men—to the enemy?"

"I expected him to follow my orders. Keep Charlotte safe at all costs."

"And he did!" Astor countered, "when she was aboard. How did you honestly expect the captain to protect her if she was miles inland and he was not?" He shook his head, "you're letting your anger cloud your judgement again. Be reasonable. Think logically."

"I am—"

"Are you? Because you're about to condemn a man for something out of his control."

Frederick stared long and hard at his younger brother before eventually collapsing into his chair. His hand slowly dragged down his face as he let out a loud sigh. When he finally spoke up again, his voice lost all of its edge. "I was so looking forward to welcoming Lottie home. In the best of times, her month-long absence has been absolute torture."

"Yes, everyone in the castle can attest to that."

Frederick flashed a dirty glare, "I was so close. So close to believing everything would turn out fine after all. We only needed a few more days, and she'd be safely home." He shook his head defeatedly, "To think of what could be going on over there… I can't lose her, Astor. She is _everything_ to me…."

"And we'll get her back."

"…but what if it's already too late?"

"Look at it this way. Captain Hostetter risked his life and his career to plow his way through an incoming blockade—just to get back and warn you of what's happened. Had he not acted, then you would be none the wiser until the day Charlotte was truly meant to return." He leaned forward onto the desk. "And when she didn't arrive on schedule, you'd go into a bigger panic and be left in the dark until Beker decided to send some sort of notice."

"A ransom, no doubt." Frederick sighed bitterly.

"Or worse. By _then_ it could very well be too late."

His fingers drummed against the desk, "Something will still need to be done about Hostetter." Frederick replied. "Disregarding the will of a king has serious consequences. I can remember our father punishing other sailors severely for lesser offenses."

Astor shook his head. "You're within your rights as the monarch—I'm not trying to take that away from you. However, I really think you should reconsider the circumstances before you condemn him to an unfortunate fate. His decision wasn't an easy one. There was no satisfaction in it. Hostetter is a man of honor, and I imagine he already feels at his lowest. He even lost sailors in the escape. And now with the queen and the prince left behind…." He straightened up and gestured to the door. "I'll let him back inside. Pass whatever judgement you deem necessary. Just do us both a favor and save your rage for another time."

"Wait." Frederick stopped him just before the door opened, "Who else knows about this?"

"Dirk and Derrick—and thanks to them, probably the entire castle."

He groaned and slouched back into his chair, "I suppose that's what they burst in to tell me."

"I believe so, yes."

Frederick groaned, "I'll deal with them afterwards. That is, if you'll permit me to expel some decent Westergaard rage."

Astor flashed a small smile before opening the door and waving the officer back inside. Hostetter came forward slowly, standing at attention at a safe enough distance from the desk."

"Your Majesty…" He said with a bow, "I am ready to accept punishment for my actions."

Frederick stared at him with a frown. The room was uncomfortably silent for what seemed like an eternity for everyone present. "You're very fortunate, Captain," He began and crossed his arms over his chest, "that the Ambassador has become your personal advocate. If you came before me on your own, I would have sent you to hell in a heartbeat."

Hostetter swallowed. "…sir?"

"However, I think that letting you wallow in your guilt would be a far better punishment. I'll let you go about your duties—for now—and let the weight of your decisions truly sink in as time goes on. Go back to your ship. Oversee repairs and send me detailed reports on the damage, as well as anything from the attack that could be of useful information."

Hostetter's eyes widened in surprise at the monarch's sudden change of heart, "Your Majesty?"

"The Queen trusted you to be her transport. As soon as it's safe, yours will be the first vessel back to Rheland. And when the time comes, you had better pray to God that she's still alive and well." Frederick's eyes immediately narrowed, "because if she's not, your guilt will pale before the wrath that _I_ will unleash, and hell itself would be too good a paradise for you."

* * *

It was sunny and bright when Hans stirred himself awake. He slept far better than he anticipated, especially considering how rocky the night began.

He was always something of a sound sleeper. Usually, once he found a comfortable position, he stayed put for the majority of the night, and last night was no exception.

As Hans blinked away the remnants of sleep, he took a deep breath, and it was then that he registered the added weight on his chest. That and the fact that his right arm was incredibly stiff. He tilted his head slightly and copper tresses came into view. Anna was still sleeping on him, and her one hand had fingers curled into the fabric of his linen shirt. He watched her for a few minutes. She was quiet. Peaceful. A shame the moment would be ruined the instant she'd awaken.

His pocket watch was sitting on the small table across the room, so he had no way of knowing what time it was. His mouth twisted into a slight frown. He would have to get up eventually. Not just for the hour, but to get on with the day. Hans was very much a morning person and wasn't one to dawdle in bed for too long after first waking up.

Unfortunately, Anna had other plans for him this morning. She was still deep in slumber. A soft sigh escaped her lips as her head nuzzled deeper into his chest. Acting purely on instinct and without thinking, he tightened his arm around her back to keep her close.

She was certainly warm; he gave her that much. And she didn't even seem inconvenienced by being jammed up against his side all night long. At least not now. The tension he first felt when his arm wrapped around her was long gone. She was completely at ease; perhaps even comfortable. He certainly was.

His head shifted on his pillow and he watched as her shoulder rose and fell with every breath. He would have to wake her eventually. No matter how much she would protest, they had to keep moving forward.

Hans let his fingers travel in a lazy circle along her back. Perhaps gently coaxing her awake would be easier on both of them. His efforts ended up having the opposite effect. Instead of waking, she shifted her head against his chest, and he could feel her foot slide against the side of his leg. She did not wake.

_She's certainly not making this easy…_. He mused and closed his eyes briefly. _I suppose I could wait a few minutes longer. Maybe I'll get lucky and she'll get off me all on her own._

Her fingers flexed against his shirt.

_...Doubtful._

Hans wasn't sure how long it was after he dozed off again that he heard the sound of creaky floorboards out in the corridor, then something being slid underneath the door into the room.

_What was that?_

Whoever was in the hall, they were long gone, now. But they left something behind, and curiosity was getting to him. Now for the difficult task at hand—getting up. The first thing he did was remove his arm from around her back. That was the easy part. Hans lifted his head from the pillow and glanced around the bed. Thankfully, the tight space meant he was already close to the edge of the mattress. A quick slide, and he could be on his own two feet. His left hand swept the bedding back and then he slowly tried to move away.

The bed creaked the instant his weight shifted. He froze and waited a few seconds. She didn't wake, but her grip surprisingly loosened, and once he was completely out from under her, he shifted his pillow down to take his place and to give her something to cling to. He watched her carefully for a few seconds. It seemed to work, and once he was satisfied that she wouldn't stir, he stretched and silently moved across the room for his boots and to check the time.

_Eight o' clock. Not too bad…._

The notice slipped under the door must have been written by the Inn's owner, Helga. The handwriting didn't match the rough penmanship used by the man who checked them in last night.

"_Wagners, please see Helga downstairs for a complimentary breakfast."_

The mere thought of food made his stomach growl. They didn't eat much the night before. Hans glanced over to Anna. There was no way she'd be rising any time soon.

That didn't mean _he_ had to starve out. Quickly and quietly, he made himself look a bit more presentable, and downstairs he went.

It turned out Helga had a far more cheerful disposition than her husband and apologized profusely for his behavior. The free meal was to help offset lodging them in the worst bedroom in the entire inn.

"It's alright," Hans had told her many times, "we were just thankful to have a warm place to sleep."

The next thing he knew, he was ushered into a large dining room. There was only one person eating—the grumpy elder gentleman from the front porch. Just like last night, he gave Hans a scrutinizing glance-over before returning to his breakfast. As Hans turned his head back to the innkeeper, he saw her filling up a tray with two generous sized portions.

Getting the tray back to the room without spilling anything was a bit of a challenge. He was grateful when he was able to set it down on the small table. It turned out that his noisy entrance didn't even phase his companion. She was still fast asleep and hugging the pillow tightly—just as he left her. He shook his head and walked over to the side of the bed.

"Marit." He said softly. She didn't stir.

_For someone who had such trouble falling asleep, you'd think it'd be easy to wake her up._

He extended his hand to shake her shoulder. "Marit," he tried again, "wake up."

"Hmmph…" she sighed and drowsily peeked an eye open. "whaaa…."

"Time to get up." He said. "It's after eight. We can't lounge all morning."

"…fine…" she drawled and slowly lifted her head off the pillow. It was then that she noticed that Hans was already up, not laying with her. "Wait… what?" she said through a yawn, "how'd you do that?"

His eyebrow raised, "do what?"

"Get up? I mean…so…quietly."

"My little secret." He shrugged and gestured to the table. "I got us some breakfast. C'mon and eat." He went back to the table and sat down. Behind him, he could hear the bed creak as Anna shifted herself to an upright position.

"Alright, I'm co—" She suddenly cut herself off and was silent for a moment. "I… I don't believe this."

He didn't look at her, but he could hear the drastic change of tone in her voice. "What?" He asked, assuming she was commenting about all of the food he brought up. "Just c'mon before it gets cold." He took his knife and fork and began cutting up a link of sausage. After about a minute of silence in the room, he realized Anna hadn't moved and so he turned around to figure out what was holding her up.

Her wild hair was the first thing his eyes locked on. Strands were everywhere. Straight up, straight out, some bent at odd angles. Sure, it looked a bit wild earlier while it was fanned out on the pillow, but he imagined it would somehow just… fall somewhat into place when she sat up. Instead, the sight was almost terrifying.

…_if it wasn't that wild in the middle of the night, how could _that_ happen if she slept on _me_ afterwards?_

A slight shake of his head forced his eyes downwards to her face, and that sight was almost worse. There was a venomous look as she glared him down. He was puzzled. She had only just woken up. How could he have made her angry already?

"…why are you staring at me like that?" He asked warily.

Her eyes didn't leave him as her hands snatched up the pillow and gave it a squeeze. It mashed up easily in her arms.

"You… you had a soft pillow?"

He shrugged, not quite understanding her fury. "Yeah, I guess. So?"

"You're telling me that while I was tossing, turning, and being absolutely miserable for _hours_, you were all snug and cozy?!"

_Oh brother…._ He sighed, "Don't be like that. _You_ were the one who got into bed first. You had every opportunity to feel up _both_ pillows before I got out of the bath."

"But… you knew I was uncomfortable." She tossed the pillow back down and crossed her arms. "You could have offered it to me."

"Why, so _I_ could be restless? Hardly." He snorted and sliced a new piece of sausage. "Besides, the way I see it, you gained a far superior pillow anyway." When she stared at him baffled, he rolled his eyes. "Me."

"You were hardly comfortable." She bristled and slid her legs out from under the blankets. She noisily got to her feet and padded over to the table.

His brow raised. "But you slept through the night. So… you're welcome, all the same."

Anna sighed and dropped into the empty chair beside his. There was a slice of bread on her plate and she immediately picked off a piece. "well… thank you. I guess. Did _you_ sleep well?"

_Sure, once you stopped being obnoxious._ "Of course, nice, quiet, and cozy," he gave her a sly grin, "and warm. So, _thank you_ for that."

Anna shot him a dirty look, "Don't you dare get used to the idea. We are _not_ doing that again."

"If you say so." Hans replied and went back to his breakfast. He had a bit of a head start on her, so his plate emptied well before hers. He leaned back in his chair and watched her finish. She had set some of it aside was only eating the hot food.

"Not hungry?"

Anna set her fork down. "I was going to save some for the road. Less snacks to buy later."

"Not a bad idea. I wish I thought of that."

Anna forced a smile, "I have good ideas now and then." When she was finished, she pushed the chair back, stood, and stretched. "When are we leaving?"

"As soon as you make yourself presentable." Hans replied, grabbing her clothing satchel off the back of his chair, and thrusting it into her arms.

Her eyes went from the bag to his face, "Well, you get right to the point, don't you?"

"Just get dressed. We can't afford to linger."

With a huff, Anna stomped behind the privacy curtain. "Let me guess. Another full day of forest walk?"

He chuckled, "you know it."

"…wonderful."

Hans used the few spare moments to clean up the room and repack any of their scattered belongings. Anna emerged from the curtain several minutes later fully dressed. Her hands were full of her night-shift and discarded clothes from yesterday. All she had left to do was fix up her hair. It was still loose behind her back, but at least the crazy bed-head was gone.

"I'm almost ready." She said quietly. Once her hands were free, her fingers tried to comb through her locks.

Hans watched for a moment as she started to twist her hair into her signature braids. "Wait—" he said suddenly, "don't do that."

"Why not?" She asked, letting her hands fall to her sides.

"Your hair. Do something… different. Something that doesn't scream 'Anna of Arendelle'."

She blinked at him, confused. "Are you really telling me how to style myself?"

"I'm merely suggesting making yourself look like a traveling peasant." His hands moved around his neck to untie his cravat. Anna had used a narrow braid to neatly maintain her long hair behind her back instead, and once she was done, he wrapped his neckwear around her head. "It's a far cry from a headscarf or a bonnet, but it'll do."

She looked up at him while he secured the cravat and tilted her face curiously to the side, "do you really think that'll fool anyone?"

"It only has to work long enough for us to leave populated areas." His eyes briefly met hers, "…and you're looking at me funny again."

"Because you look funny."

"I'm the same today as I was yesterday."

"No." She shook her head and brought a hand up towards his face. Her index finger stroked the edge of his cheek and then immediately retracted. "Ew! You're all rough!"

Hans immediately ran a hand slowly down his face. "Huh. So I am."

"…well? Aren't you going to shave it or something?"

He thought it over for a moment. "No…I think I'll keep it." He eyed her, amused by her sudden reaction, "Why, don't you like it?"

"I think I prefer you clean shaven," she huffed.

"Oh?" He raised his brow, "I didn't think you preferred me at all."

"I don't!" She said quickly, "I'm merely suggesting that a beard doesn't suit you."

"Maybe not _Hans_…" He said, stroking his scruff thoughtfully, "but I think Nikolai Wagner likes it. He is a _peasant_, after all."

"Well, Marit Wagner doesn't like scruff." She bristled. "It's not very handsome. She finds it appalling."

"It's a loveless marriage, anyway. You have no reason to worry. Although…" His mouth twisted into a sly grin briefly, "Marit Wagner has never kissed her scruffy husband to have a proper opinion—"

"Dear lord…" Anna pushed away from him and grabbed her bags, "I'm getting out of here before you get any stupid ideas."

* * *

"So Hans…"

_Oh no, not this again…._ Hans inwardly groaned, "please tell me we can go at least one day without awkward conversation."

Anna glanced down at him from her seat on the horse, "I should point out that yesterday's tensions were caused by _you_, not me."

"Were they? I distinctly remember you being too nosy for your own good."

"Says the man who inquired about _my love life_!"

…_she hasn't even asked a question and we're already arguing…._ He rolled his eyes. "What is it?"

"You said we were going to your brother in Corona, right?"

"Yes."

"Well… can you tell me about him?"

Hans sighed. Clearly, Anna didn't seem to learn from last time. He already knew what would happen. She would ask about this first, then want to know about the other eleven men back home. Despite the danger and dire circumstance that he found himself in, he was in a way happy to be away from his family for a little while longer. True, he was homesick, but only for the peace of mind. And for Sitron. The longing certainly didn't extend to his relatives.

"I mean, I'm going to meet him eventually," Anna added when Hans failed to answer, "but it's nice to know before we get there."

"It's not like we'll be arriving _tomorrow_." He countered, hoping she'd drop the subject.

"Oh? You'll be willing to talk about it later?" She hopped off the horse and scampered to his side. "I doubt that. Since I brought it up, just roll with it!"

Hans shook his head in defeat, "we're going to see my brother Ludwig." He finally said after a long pause, "he's the fourth oldest."

"Oooh…" Anna replied, "What's he like?"

"Well he isn't a pompous ass like the rest of the family. Ludwig was the only one consistently nice to me when I was growing up."

"Really? Just Ludwig?"

He shrugged, "well, he and Astor, I suppose. But really, it was always Ludwig. He was the one I was closest to."

"Anna smiled, "then it's a good thing we're seeing _him_ then! That's why you're so confident that he'll help us."

Hans nodded.

"Are you two still close?"

"Not as much as we used to be. During his later academic years, Ludwig traveled to Corona to attend Chartridge University. The man enjoys being a walking library. He lives to learn. It's odd finding him anywhere without a book nearby." His gloved hand came up to scratch his cheek as he began to feel a bit more at ease. "He was always happier in a learning environment. At home, he practically lived in the library. I'm confident he's read every book in there at least once. Most of the family left him alone, aside from some low-key name-calling, labeling him the odd one out for being shy and reserved. You know how it is—no one likes a know-it-all. Going abroad to study was probably the best thing to happen to him. He even met his wife through the university." He readjusted his hold on the horse's reins, and a sideways glance towards her showed her staring at him with immense interest. There was no doubt that she was hanging on his every word, eager to absorb all she could before he cut her off.

_I suppose I did carry on a bit…_ Hans thought. He certainly didn't plan on talking so much. It all just came out so easily. And it felt nice to hold a conversation with her that wasn't prone to ridiculous arguments. _I guess… so long as it's just about Ludwig, what's the harm?_

"How long has he been married?"

Her voice snapped him back to the present. "Oh. Uh, five-six years? I lost track."

Anna nodded slowly with a thoughtful smile on her face, "Did they have some grand royal wedding? It seems like something your family would do. I don't remember any invitations—I guess because our gates were closed at the time."

"To be honest, Ludwig didn't want one. He and Giselle preferred a small and private affair on her family's estate in Corona." He scoffed, "Naturally, my father had none of that, and made them marry in the capitol's grand cathedral in the Isles."

"Wait, what? Why?"

"Because my father only cared about his image and wanted to show off the first of his sons to get married."

"Wow." Anna said, glancing away briefly. "I can't imagine not being able to choose _how_ to have my own wedding…."

"Yes, you can!" He said with a rather amused tone. "After all, _we married_ at a campfire in the middle of the woods—" he laughed at being jabbed hard in the ribs, "—still a sour point, I see."

"Hmmph." She grumbled, eager to get back on topic, "So… if he's been married for a while, I bet you have a slew of nieces and nephews. That must be nice."

Hans opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Until now, it never dawned on hm that he could be an uncle. He felt rather silly now that he thought about it. "I… have no idea, actually."

Anna gave him a blank stare, "how could you not know? It's your family."

Hans shrugged. He walked the horse to a nearby tree and tied off the reins before taking a seat against the tree trunk. The memory was years old, but he could still remember it vividly. "Something happened to him. There was this one hunting trip in the mountains that we dragged him to. He wasn't happy, to put it lightly. Hunting was far from his list of preferred pastimes. But nothing truly terrible happened. We got back to the castle late at night. By morning, both he and Giselle already left for Corona." He sighed sadly and picked at a few blades of grass, "…and he never came back."

Anna sat down beside him and wrapped her cloak tighter around her shoulders, "you mean… he just up and left because you forced him to the mountains?"

He shook his head slowly, "I don't know. I feel like there was more under the surface that none of us knew about. Something happened to drive him and Giselle from the castle. I wish I knew what it was."

Anna reached over and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "I'm sorry…."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, really. He managed to escape from the hell that is my home. In some ways, I'm jealous."

"And you haven't heard from him since then?"

"Well… he returned home briefly when my father died. And then again for Freddy's coronation. But he came alone."

"Was he happy to see you?"

"Me? Sure." Hans nodded, and pulled more grass from the ground. The small blades twisted and turned around his fingers, "he didn't have much to say though. He talked a lot about the university. He wasn't right though…." He said softly, "I mean, his personality. He wasn't the same Ludwig that I really remembered." A frown formed across his face as he reflected back. "Even though he tried to hide it, he just seemed angry all the time; always glaring off at my brothers across the room during family gatherings. Never smiling like he used to…."

"Perhaps _they_ did something to him. You did say they were all pompous asses."

"Maybe." Eventually he shrugged his shoulders and looked at her. "Anyway, that's Ludwig."

"Wow." Anna blinked, "Do you think he'll still be willing to help after so much animosity?"

"Oh sure." He tossed the grass away and wiped his gloves on his coat. "Because it's me. And it's for Charlotte, too." He took a deep breath and exhale and was surprised that casually talking for so long could be so calming.

_Now that_ that_ baggage is out, she had better not ask about—_

"I uh… don't suppose I'll get to hear about the rest of your brothers…."

_I fucking knew it…._

He eyed her suspiciously, "Don't you think I gave you enough family history for one afternoon?"

"No?" Anna waved her hands about, "You can't blame me for being curious. I know nothing about your family!"

"They're asses, as I've said many times. Why would you even _want_ to?"

"Aren't they technically my in-laws?"

"Hell no!" Hans snorted, "Do you really think Nikolai Wagner has twelve bullies for brothers?"

She gave him a light shove in response, "You know what I mean…."

Hans flashed a curious smirk, "Does Marit have an older sister with magical powers?"

"Well no… but—"

"Case in point"

Anna got to her feet and grumbled loudly. "You are so difficult."

"I do try." She had stomped over to the horse and was fishing through one of the saddle bags, so he took the opportunity to close his eyes for a moment. This wasn't really supposed to be a rest break, and he didn't want to get too comfortable. If Anna decided to sit down, too, then it would be a while before they set off again.

But a few minutes of peace and personal space felt nice, and he enjoyed every second. "We should get going." He eventually announced and got back to his feet. Anna was still by the horse, stroking its face.

"I'm ready." She moved to climb back onto the saddle.

As Hans reached for the reins, he heard the sound of a twig snapping nearby. His eyes immediately scanned the area. "Did you step on a branch?"

"No?" Anna glanced down at her feet just to make sure. "Maybe you're hearing things," He shook his head, and seconds later, there was another snap. This time, her eyes went wide. "N-never mind. I heard that one, too."

Hans immediately put a finger to his lips and turned his head away. The noises weren't a mere coincidence. Someone or something was nearby. There were several more minutes of awkward silence as he tried to listen for the sound again. After what seemed like an eternity, he heard it once more and looked off in that direction. "Stay here." He whispered to her, and as quietly as he could manage, he crept off through the woods.

His eyes continuously moved from the surrounding trees to the dirt and patches of grass. If he could hear someone's feet snapping twigs, then they were close enough to hear his. The last thing he wanted was to give away his position.

Or worse. Anna's.

Still, he kept a hand hovering over the holstered pistol on his belt and hoped he wouldn't have to use it. The sounds became louder as he continued to move on, and up ahead, he could see the crest of a hill. Whoever or whatever was beyond that point. He slowed his pace as the bottom of the hill slowly came into view—

"Hans!"

Anna's sudden voice startled him, and he whirled around, pistol in hand. His heart was thumping in his chest and it took him a minute to calm himself down. With it only being her, he holstered the weapon and leaned onto a nearby tree.

"For Christ's sake…" he whispered. His eyes glared into her, "I told you to stay put!"

She shrugged and retied the horse's reins to another tree. "I was afraid you'd get lost on your way back!" She replied quietly. "You were gone a while."

"I'm being cautious." He hissed and turned around.

She came up beside him. "Find anything?"

"A road." He pointed down below, "we must have heard someone passing through."

Her eyes lit up at the sight of the road. "This is great! We can follow it and finally get out of the woods—"

Heavy footsteps could be heard in the distance, and immediately, Hans grabbed Anna and ducked them both down to the ground. His gloved hand clamped over her mouth and he purposely ignored the dirty looks she gave him.

"Mmph!" She managed to pull his hand away, "why must you always get on top of me?"

"To keep you from doing something stupid." He whispered back. "_Now be quiet."_

It didn't take long before the source of the footsteps came into view. From around the curve in the road, a military squadron came marching through. Alvanian soldiers. Some were armed with swords, others with rifles and crossbows. Hans' eyes immediately narrowed. There were far too many to count, and it made him wonder if the earlier sounds heard were stray soldiers from another regiment. Beneath him, he could feel Anna tense up considerably. One of her hands even latched onto his arm.

"That's… that's a lot…" she said barely above a whisper. He only heard her because his head was right next to hers. That was good—it wasn't loud enough to alert the enemy below.

An unpleasant thought came to him suddenly, and it made his heart start to race. If soldiers in these numbers were moving through the area, what guarantee was there that they kept to the road? His eyes reluctantly tore away from the troops to scan the surrounding area. Everything seemed calm.

For now.

_This just got a whole lot harder…._


	14. A Dangerous Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first section of this chapter contains violence, sexual assault, and gore. Reader's discretion is advised.

Anna bit her lip as her eyes followed the marching soldiers. This was not at all what she expected—at least, not so soon. Ever since she and Hans managed a safe distance from the Oskberg castle, she gave herself a false sense of security; that so long as they remained in Rheland's forests, they would be safe; that the real opposition would hit them once they crossed kingdom borders. Seeing a regiment of this size made her heart drop into her stomach.

_I can't believe I was foolish enough to think we wouldn't see anyone. The entire kingdom is being taken over!_

She shifted her body slightly to further flatten herself against the ground to not only avoid being seen, but to add more space between her and Hans. His body was practically smothering her. While she appreciated the protective gesture, there was only so much personal space invasion she could tolerate in a short period of time. In some ways, she was still getting over the sleeping arrangements from last night.

The breathing space only lasted about a minute. Hans' weight suddenly fell on her again. This time, she turned her head to the side to glare at him, "_Why?_" She hissed quietly.

"One of them looked in this direction," He whispered back.

"Did he see you?"

"…I don't think so."

Feeling frustrated, she blew her bangs from her face. "Are they still coming?"

"I can see the end of the line. Just a little longer."

The 'little longer' felt like an eternity. Since she couldn't see much of anything, she resorted to closing her eyes tight and relying more on hearing the soldiers march down the road. Everything remained quiet for several moments before he lifted himself off of her.

"Keep your voice low," he said quietly, "this entire area could be crawling with soldiers." Once he was back on his feet, he offered his hand to help her up. "Sorry."

If he was apologizing for squishing her, she didn't want to acknowledge it. "What do we do now?"

He pointed in the direction of their horse. "We get the hell out of here."

Anna didn't hesitate to run to the steed and climb up while Hans grabbed the reins from the tree branch. He was up behind her in a flash, and they were off through the woods once more.

Anna's eyes scanned the areas they sped through between the trees. When they first fled, it seemed they were somewhat following the direction of the road beside them. But it's been several minutes since she'd seen sights of a path.

"Um, are you sure we're going the right way?" She asked and turned to glance over her shoulder. "Where are we?"

"No idea."

Her eyes widened in panic, "Then how do you know we are going in the right direction? Or that we aren't riding right into some trap?"

Hans sighed loudly, "Does it matter? This entire journey is one giant trap. It will only be a matter of time before our luck runs out."

"You say that as if it's going to happen!"

His arm tightened around her as he braced for the horse about to leap over a fallen tree trunk. "There's weeks of travel ahead, Anna. We can try, but I highly doubt we can outrun these people forever."

Her brows furrowed. "Well if _you_ don't mind, I prefer to maintain a bit more optimism."

"You do that."

Anna sighed and turned to the front again. "How long are we riding blind?"

"Long enough to hopefully put some space between _us_ and _them_."

_But you don't know which way we're going!_ Anna kept her thoughts to herself. What was the point of arguing? It was clear Hans was in charge of this entire operation. Unless she couldn't go on, he was the one to decide when they took rests, snack breaks, even when they rode the horse and when they had to go on foot. She was genuinely surprised when he caved as much as he did last night. Unfortunately, it would be a while before those small luxuries presented themselves again.

…_if he wants to lead us in the wrong direction, then I'll make sure to rub it in for all it's worth if and when he starts complaining about lost time…._

It was about half-an-hour later when they stopped again. Anna was almost afraid to climb down in case a soldier came out of nowhere. The discovery earlier still left her a bit rattled. The quick escape didn't do any good in easing the tense situation. But while she still maintained a firm grip on the reins, Hans jumped down and walked alongside her.

"Well, now that you aren't hunched over_ me_ anymore, maybe you could pull out a map or a compass or _something_ and tell us where we might be."

Hans fished through his satchel, "Well, without any type of landmark, a map won't be of much help." He found the compass and turned it about in his hands. "…it looks like we're heading southwest."

Anna's brow furrowed as she mentally tried to get her bearings. "That's good, right? I mean, wasn't west supposed to be the direction we needed to go?"

He nodded, "I'm willing to bet that we're getting close to the Alvanian border."

She swallowed nervously, "wouldn't that mean encountering more soldiers?"

"Most likely." He slipped the compass into his coat pocket so he could dig out the map from the bag, "especially if they have an encampment nearby."

"…and this is what we have to look forward to…." She groaned out loud, "we'll never make it."

Hans snorted, "what happened to your optimism?"

"I think I lost it about six trees back." She glanced down when she felt some tugging on the saddle. Hans was digging through one of the original saddle packs. "What are you looking for?"

"Extra bullets."

"Wait, what?" she stared at him wide-eyed, "Why? You haven't even fired a single shot-I mean besides the one that killed that scout…"

"I want to be prepared. Seeing those soldiers on the road reminded me that they could turn up anywhere and without warning. We were lucky to get an easy out earlier, but it won't be like that every time. We may have to fight our way to freedom a few times."

Anna shuddered. _By _we_, he must have meant _himself. _He's the only one wielding any sort of weapon._ Thinking about the potential for conflict made her stomach turn. She remembered what Hans had to do to ensure they escaped the castle. And that was without traditional weaponry. She really didn't want to witness any repeat performances now that he was armed.

_Is violence the answer?_ She wondered. _Was there really a guarantee that any Alvanians we meet would be after us?_

"Do… do we have to fight?"

"Well,_ I_ certainly don't want to get captured—"

"N-no, I mean we're peasants, right? If we're just traveling along the road minding our business and they come by, what makes you think they'll just up and attack us?"

He was quiet for a moment. "I suppose in theory, if they were to let us pass, nothing would come of it. But do you really want to take the chance of us being followed or recognized?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "it's not like you can take out an entire squadron by yourself."

He didn't reply. Instead, he turned his attention back to the map in his hands.

"We _are_ still in Rheland, right?" Anna asked after a period of silence. "We haven't gotten ourselves even more lost?"

"We're not lost."

_Sure, we're not…._ Anna rolled her eyes. "Then how about we find a road to follow? I think I'm tired of being completely surrounded by trees."

"Roads are also surrounded by trees." He remarked dryly.

"But roads lead to civilization," She countered, "and villages mean we can figure out where in the continent we are. Because in case you haven't guessed, saying 'we're somewhere headed southwest or whatever' isn't going to cut it."

The bickering went on for a little while longer until it became clear that they were arguing in circles. The period of silence that followed was welcoming for them both.

After comparing the map and compass, Hans jumped back on the horse and once again took over their navigation. To Anna's delight, someway, somehow, they managed to find a way back to a road. She didn't know if this was the same path from earlier, but it didn't matter. She was simply happy to find it. And she made sure to keep her mouth shut about the discovery itself. For all their squabbling, there was no way she was going to give him the satisfaction of being right.

_I don't care what he says. Until we reach another village, we are _lost_._

Her suspicions seemed even more validated once the road split int two. No road signs near the fork, and both paths looked about the same from a distance.

"Well shit…" Hans muttered softly and slid off. "This wasn't on the map."

_Yeah? I'm sure there's a great many things no on your map, _Anna frowned, "So… now what?"

"We pick a route."

"What if we pick wrong?"

He shrugged, "then you and I are going to be together a lot longer than you would prefer." He dug out his compass once more. "I bet one of these leads to Alvania."

"What if neither of them does?" She asked.

He glanced back towards her, "then your plan gets scrapped and we go the rest of the way through the woods." He left the horse's side and walked more into the middle of the intersection with the compass in his open palm. "It looks like the right path goes towards the west. We should probably try that route."

Anna was surprised when he reached for the reins instead of climbing back up. "You're going to walk?"

"I find it safer at the moment." He replied, "you're so tense, I'm afraid of you striking me if we start quarreling again."

She rolled her eyes. She was certainly peeved with him, but not to the point of swinging a fist. The mere idea of hitting him never even crossed her mind. "Suit yourself," she said with a shrug of her shoulders, "more room for me."

This section of road was a lot windier than she expected. She preferred straighter paths. It was a lot easier to see what was coming up ahead. At least from what she could tell, Hans was equally uneasy. He led the horse with one hand and kept the other resting atop the holster on his hip.

"I think we're heading the right way." He gestured to the dirt marks along the side of the road, "uniform boot prints. I bet anything that regiment we saw earlier passed through here."

"Where do you think they were headed? Greja?" The mere thought of that quaint little village being invaded made her incredibly sad.

"It's possible. Those people could be in for a rude awakening. I've gotten the impression that King Wilhelm's death hadn't reached this far south, yet. We were fortunate no one there was looking for us." Hans said, "I'm sure every village we enter from this moment forward will be crawling with soldiers. Or… local civilians eager to potentially earn some reward money. Now more than ever, we're really going to have to sell who we are."

"By _we_, you mean _me_." Anna huffed.

"I can act just fine."

"Well it's hard to be convincing when I don't know anything!" She sighed, "All we have are names—"

"—then feel free to come up with our cover story. Whatever you want. I'll follow your lead."

Her eyes narrowed, "what lead? You're the one who insisted on being the talker in Greja. And you've already shot down some of _my_ suggestions—"

"—Fine." He conceded, "from this moment on, I'll cater to your stories. Just don't be too extravagant. Too many details and it's easy to forget and catch yourself in a lie."

"Right. I'll keep it simple."

Around another bend and the sound of hooves and boots could be heard. Hans had just enough time to redirect their horse to the side of the road as another group of soldiers came through; some marching, some on horseback. They took up nearly all of the open space, not even attempting to give Hans and Anna any room to breathe.

Anna's hands gripped the edge of the saddle as the men moved past. Thankfully, this group was much smaller than the first one they encountered, but it still left her incredibly uneasy. As she watched them advance, she tried not to make eye contact with any of them. However, it didn't stop her from being the subject of several sideways glances. A few men towards the end didn't even hide their ogling. It was a bit late, but she pulled her cloak tighter around her to hide herself from view. Once the immediate threat passed, she exchanged worried glances with Hans.

_I think I've seen enough soldiers to last me a lifetime._

"That was close." Hans exhaled after several minutes of silence. He took a quick glance down both sides of the path before coming around to the side of the horse, "Still want to stay on the road?"

Anna shrugged, "Maybe it _would_ be better to stay in the woods…."

"_Halt!"_

Anna's heart started to race upon hearing soldiers coming up around the bend behind them. It took everything she had to glance over her shoulder. Instantly, she regretted the decision. It wasn't just one man. Two foot soldiers. Two horseback riders. She recognized some of them as the ones who were staring earlier. If she thought they were uncomfortably close earlier, that was nothing. These men had spread themselves out to surround her and Hans.

"You seem… lost." On of the riders said with a raised brow.

"Oh. No." Hans shook his head, "we're fine. Thank you for—"

"—It's not common to find passerby's in the middle of nowhere." Said a foot soldier. His eye remained locked on Anna.

"Where are you from?"

Hans eyed the man carefully. "Greja."

"You're a bit out of the way." Another laughed.

"W-we're merely traveling." Anna said quietly and looked to Hans. He didn't return the gaze. His eyes were focused on the men.

"Oooh…." Two of the soldiers cooed at her. One of them waggled his brow.

"And where are you headed?"

"Heidelberg." Hans said quickly.

The lead horseman immediately started to laugh. "Heidelberg? I'd say you're a bit lost there, comrade." He positioned his horse a bit closer. "Tell you what. We'll point you in the right direction—" There was something in his voice that put a shiver down Anna's spine. "—in exchange for about ten minutes with the fräulein."

"Each!" Added another with a mischievous glint in his eye. The horseman glanced to his companion and slowly nodded in agreement.

"Wait, _what?!"_ Anna gasped in panic and gripped onto the horse a bit tighter as Hans immediately came to her defense.

"She is my _wife_, not a trinket for sale," he growled, "Thanks, but no thanks for the offer. We'll be fine on our own."

"Oh. It wasn't an offer." The rider drew a sword, and the foot soldiers followed suit. "She can either submit now, or we'll kill _you_ and take her by force."

"H-Hans…" Anna choked out. She was at a loss for words. Everything escalated so quickly, and there was no way she would allow herself to become some toy to be passed around. But she couldn't let them kill Hans either. There had to be a third option.

"Well, fräulein? We're waiting."

"Desperately."

_I think I'm going to be sick…._

"Are you telling me that you abandoned your regiment just now all for the chance to satisfy your loins?" Hans bit out. "What makes you think you're entitled to any and every woman you come across?"

"Listen to this!" One of the soldiers laughed and waved his sword about, "Listen here, _Hans_, was it? There's one of you and four of us. _We _are in charge here. And if you wish to see your next sunrise, you'll kindly step aside."

"Hans don't…" Anna pleaded. She hated not having a weapon on her. Nothing would give her more pleasure than to slam a fist into their too-smug-faces. Instead, she felt utterly trapped and helpless sitting on the saddle.

Hans' eyes met hers when she called his name and he stared at her with an expression she couldn't quite decipher. His eyes would shift from her to the horse. Sometimes it was so quick that it was easy to miss, but it also meant that their attackers probably didn't notice it either.

_Is he trying to tell me something?_ Anna bit her lip. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him subtly reaching for his pistol.

"Well gentlemen," Hans sighed loudly, "I'm afraid you've left me no choice. If you want her, take her—"

"_HANS_**!**"

"—but you've got to catch her first." In a fluid motion, Hans tossed her the reins and then immediately slapped the horse's rump. Anna barely had time to react before the horse bolted ahead. _"Keep going!"_ He hollered after her. "_Get out of here!"_

The rider instantly swore, "we'll go after her. You two take care of _him_." He said as he took off down the road.

As Anna held on as tight as she could, she glanced behind her to see what happened to Hans. He was in the middle of the road dodging sword swings while pulling the pistol from his holster.

_ **BANG** _

The noise startled her. Anna expected one of Hans' attackers to fall after hearing the shot. Instead, her peripheral vision caught sight of one of _her_ assailants scream and fall off his horse. He landed face first in the road. Blood was seeping through his coat.

_ **BANG** _

She jumped again at the sound. By now, her heart was thumping hard in her chest. Her eyes moved quickly over her shoulder. She couldn't tell where that shot landed, and quickly whipped her head back to pay attention to where she was going. She had something more pressing to worry about. The other rider was gaining on her. Thinking fast, she tugged the reins and steered the horse hard to the left, back into the woods.

_Maybe if I'm lucky, I can lose him in the trees._

This area of forest was far denser than where she and Hans were traveling earlier, and it was considerably harder to navigate through. Her speed slowed considerably to avoid running into trees and knocking her head into low hanging branches. With so many weaves, it didn't take long for her to lose her sense of direction. A quick glance behind her showed empty forest. Her attacker was nowhere to be seen.

Facing forward again, her eyes scanned the surrounding trees, expecting the soldier to burst out. At the moment, she didn't hear hooves. Off in the distance, she did hear another shot go off. Her thoughts instantly went to Hans. She had seen him in action plenty of times to have confidence in his fighting abilities, but that didn't stop her from worrying. As far as she knew, he only had the one pistol to defend himself. Going up against two swordsmen was hardly a fair fight. She hoped with every fiber of her being that Hans was the one firing the shots—not the one being fired on.

So much of her wanted to turn back to the road and see if she could help. Was it a bad idea? Naturally. Was it worth the risk of galloping right into a trap?

_For Hans? Absolutely, _Anna thought as she weighed her options._ He's risked so much already to save me. I have to do the same._

Swallowing her nerves, she gave the reins a flick but didn't get far. Bolting right into her path was her assailant. The sudden appearance spooked her steed, and she let out a startled cry at being thrown off onto the ground. She landed hard onto her side and could only watch in horror as her horse bolted off back to where she assumed the road was.

"No-no-no!" She called out, but it was futile. The horse was gone, and the soldier was still advancing on her with his sword drawn. Anna scrambled backwards on the ground until she hit a tree; then she pushed herself to her feet and ran as fast as she could through the thicket winding in different directions to not leave a clear trail.

_Maybe if I can get far enough away, he'll stop looking._

She forced herself to stop and lean against a tree to catch her breath. Her throat felt like it was burning, her legs incredibly heavy.

_I really hope Hans is faring better than I._

Footsteps were advancing, and she let out an exhausted groan as she broke into another run. Every so often, she glanced over her shoulder. There was no sight of him, but his approach was making plenty of noise. While her attention was behind her, however, she stumbled over a raised tree root and lost her footing. A cry escaped her as she fell to the ground. Pain shot through her right ankle, and every time she tried to stand and put weight on it, her leg buckled, and she toppled back to the ground. Wincing in pain, she reached for her foot just as the soldier burst through the trees.

"Ah, so it appears our little game of cat and mouse is at its end," he drawled and pointed the tip of his sword at her.

"Please…" Anna said quietly, "You don't have to do this. You don't _want_ to—"

He raised his brow at her with an amused expression on his face, "Don't I?"

She shook her head and tried to drag herself backwards to put distance between them. Her efforts only made him slowly step closer. "Don't you want to return to your comrades? I'm sure they're missing you by now."

"Perhaps. Though investigating suspicious civilians takes time." His eyes traveled over her slowly before landing on her hands rubbing at her right boot. "Plenty of time."

Anna was sure her heart skipped a beat once she found herself backed against the base of a tree. "Y-your commanding officer won't be happy with your ab-abandoning your march." She stuttered.

He knelt before her and held the blade against her throat. "My commanding officer?" He laughed, "what if I told you that your Hans shot him?"

Anna swallowed and pushed her head back against the tree, desperate for extra space. "I'd say you're lying." Her brows furrowed as she glared up at him, "A true, noble soldier wouldn't let his men attack the innocent. But then what would _you people_ understand about honor?"

"Oh my…" he grinned, "the little mouse bears some sharp teeth." He leaned forward, bracing some of his weight by leaning a hand down onto her right foot. A great bit of pleasure showed across his features as she tried her hardest to suppress the pain she was feeling.

"S-stop!" She gasped and tried to shift her leg away. She could only bend forward so far with his blade in front of her. "Please don't. You're going to regret this. M-my husband—"

"-Oh, he's surely dead by now." He cut her off. "After that _stunt_ he pulled—"

"—he tried to save me!" She barked back and cursed herself for leaving her satchels attached to the saddle. Once the horse ran off, she was left with nothing to defend herself. Only her fists, and one foot. Her currently predicament didn't give much to work with. The sword was the only obstacle stopping her from clobbering him in the face.

"Chivalrous, and yet futile. It cost him his life. And _you_, fräulein_, _caught in this little trap." He jostled her foot again for good measure. She gritted her teeth and hissed through the pain. He was amused and chuckled loudly when her left foot shot out to kick at him. The strike landed lopsidedly into his side instead of his chest, but not hard enough to make much of a difference. To her dismay, it only spurred him further. His free hand left her boot to latch onto the other foot "You're certainly a feisty one."

Anna gasped in horror as his gloved hand slinked its way along her footwear and under her skirts. The touch ran a shiver down her spine, and she tried to struggle out of his hold. The grip was too tight, and he made a point to press the blade against her throat to keep her in line. Her hands immediately moved upwards to grab onto his sword arm and keep him from digging into her throat further.

"I think I'll take my time with you." He said as his fingers stroked the underside of her knee. "After all, you seem to have plenty of opinions about _my people_. I'd like to know how you came to those conclusions."

"I'll never tell you anything!"

"Perhaps not yet." He prompted and slowly slid his leg up further along her thigh, "But cats enjoy toying with their prey before going in for the kill."

She whimpered upon feeling his thumb about halfway up her thigh. Suddenly, she felt paralyzed with fear as the weight of the situation really hit hard. If what the man said was true, Hans could really be dead, and she not far from joining him—_after_ being forced to endure whatever disgusting defilement was in store for her. Someway, somehow, she had to fight back. But a kick from her bad foot wouldn't connect well, and she'd only really be hurting herself. And her mind and body were having such conflicting responses that she didn't know what to do.

"S-Stop!" She squirmed, "p-please don't—" she bit down on her lip hard as the soldier shifted his position to briefly push a knee onto her right foot.

"Now, fräulein, I –_**urk**__!"_

Everything happened so fast that it was almost too much and too gruesome to register. Mid-sentence, the soldier's eyes suddenly bulged out and his mouth left agape. He never finished his sentence. His voice was immediately cut off by the most disturbing sound of metal piercing through flesh. Just when she thought that was cringeworthy enough, the tip of _another_ sword immediately protruded from the man's chest, sending a spray of blood and matter everywhere.

Anna screamed in horror loudly for several seconds, not even registering the sound coming from her mouth until her throat felt raw. She thought being a witness to King Wilhelm's murder was difficult. While uncomfortable, she had the benefit of being a relatively safe distance away, and in the middle of a crowd. Not this. Not _here_. A man was just skewered like a piece of meat not even a meter away from her. All she could see was red; all she could smell was blood. She had never seen something so gruesome in her entire life. The moment the soldier was run through, the sword dropped from his hand to land across her legs. As soon as the impaled sword was withdrawn, the body slumped forward onto his knees right atop her feet.

_Oh my god. Oh my god. I __**know**__ I'm going to be sick…._ Her hands went up to cover her mouth as the dead man was harshly kicked to the side onto the ground beside her. Her eyes followed the corpse as it landed in a crumpled heap. That gave her a new view of the puncture point on his back. Not nearly as disgusting as the front, but still smothered in sticky red. Unable to stare any longer, her heart thumped harder as her eyes forced themselves off the soldier to see who delivered the fatal blow.

There was never a more relieved sight in her life. Hans was standing before her with the bloody weapon in his hand. There was a bit of blood trailing down the side of his face, as well as a red stain through the left sleeve of his greatcoat. The aura he gave off was venomous, his expression angrier than she had ever seen on him or anyone else, and all of that rage was directed at the dead man.

"No one…" Hans said through gritted teeth, "no one touches _my wife_ but _me_."

* * *

Anna pulled the horse blanket tighter around her shoulders as she leaned up against a tree. The sun was practically set, the sky consumed by darkening shades of orange, pink, and purple. Looking out straight ahead was a rather large lake. Seeing the sky's reflection in the calm water gave her a small sense of peace.

If there was one word that she'd use to summarize what became of the remainder of the afternoon, it was 'disturbing'. Hans' sudden appearance was the best blessing she could have asked for at the time. He took great care in making sure she was alright. Though, 'alright' was nowhere near the proper term. While his timing spared her from a vile man's assault, there was still the aftershock of everything she saw. Those mental images wouldn't be leaving her any time soon. The mere thought of sleeping put her off. No doubt the murder scene would plague her dreams for days. Perhaps weeks.

On top of all of that, there was her throbbing foot. Walking was near impossible, and Hans had to resort to carrying her out of the thicket.

If she had to consider one _positive_ that came from the violent encounter, it was that they no longer needed to share a ride. She was glad that in his search for her, Hans managed to track down their horse, and nearby was the abandoned steed of the soldier. Getting her back onto the saddle was painfully tricky, but she was never more thankful to get away from the area. Even better to not have Hans' arms around her. She was grabbed enough for one day.

She and Hans barely spoke once they were on the move again. He seemed content to brood, while she was left to her own thoughts. Unlike the previous days, there was no luxury of extensive travel to allow her to gather _all_ of her thoughts. If felt that today, she and Hans didn't make much progress. They only really traveled in the mid-morning and partially through the afternoon hours. They discovered this lakeside just as the sun was starting to set. For once, it wasn't her idea to stop. It surprised her even more when Hans helped her down off the saddle and decided they would make a camp for the night. She certainly didn't complain. Anything was better than riding all night long. And the lake did make for some pleasant scenery.

Instead, the downtime gave her plenty of time for reflection. The attack came to mind first. Her left hand moved up under the blanket so her fingers could trace along her throat. The skin felt smooth to the touch. No pain. No signs of a cut. _Thank goodness_, she sighed to herself. The situation could have ended very differently with the man's sword pressed against her throat. And without Hans' timed appearance—

Her leg tensed up on instinct, as if she could feel a phantom hand slowly rubbing its way up her calf in the same slow path under her knee, and beneath her drawers on her thigh. Her limb immediately jerked out to the side to shake the feeling away.

_What would have happened without Hans?_ She winced, _how many liberties would he have taken with one hand alone? I doubt he would have stopped at my legs. Would he really have r-… raped me with a sword to my throat?_ She swallowed hard with the mere thought turning into a twisted vision that she neither wanted nor needed. Anna squeezed her eyes shut and violently shook her head to rid herself of the images. Eyes open again, they narrowed at the sight of her hands in her lap.

_He would've… because I would have let him._

Her conclusion disturbed her to no end, but it was all he could think of. What did she do while being petted?

_Nothing_. _I just sat there, still and tense as ever while he had his fun._

She sighed. Her hands, when they weren't on the ground, were bracing against his sword arm to keep her throat intact. But her feet….

Anna grimaced, _I bet if I tried harder, I could have wrestled my leg free. I could have fought harder with my other foot—ankle pain or not._

Her gaze shifted to her right foot. It was currently being propped upon her clothing satchel after Hans had checked on it. She wiggled her toes slightly. The movement set off her ankle again and she winced.

_I suppose it wouldn't have mattered in the end. It's not as if I could have gotten away from him, anyway._ Anna frowned, _If I made him mad enough, he probably would have just slit my throat and put an end to me._

The logic didn't make her feel better. That certainly wasn't her first time in a fight. In the past three years, she'd had her share of adventures. Some were more dangerous than others. She fought wolves, bandits, even Marshmallow. Not once did she find herself paralyzed in fear.

_What made today different?_

Anna wiped her nose with a corner of the blanket. She knew the answer, she just didn't want to admit it to herself. Everything was different here. This was no mere venture with Kristoff and Sven, Elsa and Olaf; off through northern mountains to find magical ice palaces or through hidden valleys in search of ancient artifacts; no silly antics to take the pressure and tension away; no magical sister to supply any sort of magical back-up or support when things get hairy.

"I was afraid…" she eventually whispered to herself. "Afraid of losing everything. My family, my friends… my very _life_." She sighed loudly. _The longer this goes on, the harder it'll get. I don't know where I am, only that there's danger everywhere I go, and there's even more of it coming for me._

There was a soft whinny nearby. Anna glanced to the side to see both horses grazing. "At least they're happy." She muttered and leaned her head back against the tree trunk. "Wish I shared their spirits."

The fire was starting to dim out. She frowned and scanned the campsite. _Where is Hans? How long does it take to find some more wood?_

Hans….

She had opinions on him, too. Just when she thought she was learning to trust him, he sent two soldiers after her. _We could have stayed together. It certainly would have saved me a lot of grief._

There was also the soldier's murder. She could still vividly see the look of death on the man's face. A sight almost equally frightening was the murderous scowl on Hans' as he shoved the corpse aside. Anna shuddered at the memory. Hans did save her, and she was grateful. But that just added to his killing tally. She was going on the assumption that the other three soldiers were dead as well.

_That makes…five. I think._

She wasn't entire sure _why_ she was making a point to keep track. The count only irked her, and no doubt it would increase as time went on—

"You certainly look troubled."

Anna jumped at Hans' sudden voice and turned to her right. He had emerged from the trees with a large pile of branches balanced precariously on one arm, and something red and _fleshy_ clutched in his other gloved hand.

"It's about time." She huffed, though she couldn't take her sights off what he was carrying. "I'm almost afraid to ask, but what on earth is _that_?"

"Dinner." He replied. The branches were tossed down to the ground and he knelt on the other side of the fire to prepare the meat. "Have you ever had rabbit before?"

"I can't say that I have."

"In that case, you'll be in for a treat." He briefly flashed a grin, "I'm afraid this is as close to a romantic candlelit dinner that we can manage—"

"—oh lord…" she rolled her eyes.

Hans chuckled, "what, you don't think so?"

"I think you're crazy." She replied, "Just how bad was that cut on your head?"

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes as he positioned his makeshift spit over the fire. "A hot meal will do us both some good. And it'll be nice to eat something other than crackers and rations."

"Well I suppose you're not wrong there." She conceded. "I feel bad for that poor little bunny though."

"It didn't suffer long." He said. "If not for me, I'm sure it would've ended up as some wolf or fox's dinner instead."

"I guess," she frowned, "and I suppose that's what kept you all this time?"

He nodded. "I would've been back sooner, but I thought I'd spare you the messy, gorier bits of butchering a bunny."

"How considerate of you," she said softly. The meat was now cooking over the fire and before she could get the chance to say anything else, he stood and walked over to the horses.

"I think you'll find that I can be _very_ considerate." He replied and returned to her side holding out her water flask.

"Hmmph," was all she had to say as she clutched the flask to her chest and watched Hans put his full attention towards their dinner.

"I'm afraid you'll have to manage without fine china and silverware." He said casually as he checked the doneness of the meat.

"What? But won't I burn myself?"

Hans laughed and put a sharper branch skewer through a done piece. "You're not holding it with your bare hands, darling." He reached around and held it out to her. "Here. This one's yours."

She brought the skewer to her nose and gave it a sniff. It didn't smell like much. Hans took his piece off the fire and came over to sit beside her. "Your piece is smaller," she commented. "Why?"

He shrugged. "It didn't cut the way I wanted. It doesn't really matter. I'm sure you're probably hungrier than I." With a small smile, he tapped his skewer against hers. "Bon Appétit."

Anna hesitated before taking a small bite. The meat was a bit of a surprise. It was blander than she was anticipating, but with a hint of something that she couldn't quite describe. It wasn't a foul taste, at least. She took another bite and glanced to her companion. He already ate through a good portion of his.

"And you said you weren't hungry…" she remarked and broke up her bites with a drink of water.

He chuckled, "like I said before, I suppose I was really eager to eat something different. How do you like it?"

She shrugged slightly, "It's not bad. I mean, I won't go craving it like chocolate or anything like that…" She offered him a small smile and nudged him gently. "But you're absolutely right. It's nice to try something new." She remained silent as she finished the rest of her portion and set the skewer aside on the ground. "You cooked it well. I didn't realize you knew how to… well… do whatever you did."

"Hunt?" Hans' smile widened, "You forget I'm part of an all-male-family. If there's anything that even _I_ was invited to growing up, it was hunting excursions, shooting afternoons, hiking through the mountains. Half of the time there were contests who could shoot the fastest, most accurate; catch the biggest game. And when camping in the woods, you learn how to survive with what little you have." He took a deep breath, "some of those trips were a few of the only pleasant memories I had of my brothers. For once, they weren't beating on me. Just the wildlife."

Anna bit the inside of her lip. She enjoyed yet another glimpse into his life, but the subject also hinted at some of her own worries. "I uh… suppose they're the ones who taught you how to kill, too?"

"Well, that's all part of the hunting experience." He paused and cleared his throat, "but that's not what you're referring to, is it?"

Anna shook her head slowly, "are they _all_ dead?"

He sighed and leaned his head against the tree with his sight towards the fire, "Yes."

She grimaced. "So, it does make five…."

"Five?" He asked. "Five what?"

"…kills."

His eyebrow immediately furrowed, "Are you seriously keeping track?"

"Not purposefully," she admitted, "but it couldn't really be helped—a t least not today."

"Should I even ask why?"

Anna shifted slightly to try and face him without moving her legs, "I think I'm the one who should be asking 'why'. Like… why did you think it necessary?"

His jaw dropped and he stared at her for a good minute. "You can't be serious. Tell me this is a joke."

"It's not!" She exclaimed, "Have you no shame or regret over what you've done?"

Hans leapt to his feet and tossed his empty skewer into the fire. "_Regrets?!_" I saved your life, Anna! That bastard would have taken every damn liberty with you had I not come along. And then once he had his way with you, he'd have killed you!"

"But—"

"Not to mention the others who were all too eager to do _me_ in and then get their turn jumping you, too. Are you really going to sit there and question my motives?"

"Hans." Anna sighed, "I'm merely asking if _killing them_ was necessary. Is murder ever the answer to anything?"

Hans ran a hand through his hair. "What I did today was in self-defense—for _both_ of us. Yes, you're right. I could have registered them unconscious and had us made some mad escape. The same with that first scout days ago. But problems would arise as soon as they'd awaken and regroup with their kind."

"But by then we'd be far gone."

"You can say that now, it's after the fact. But nothing we do in-the-moment is certain. Every time we encounter soldiers, we are in danger. I'm sure you've heard the old pirate's saying 'dead men tell no tales'—"

"—no—"

"—Well, now you have." Hans sighed, "If they're dead, they can't report back to their regiments or to their superiors where we were spotted."

Anna hugged her arms close to her chest. He was making sense to her, but she still didn't agree with it. "It still seems so wrong. Killing. Murder. It's so… gruesome. I couldn't bear to wish such fates on anyone—even an enemy." Her voice hitched at the most unpleasant images coming to mind. "Especially _that one_." She couldn't bring herself to say anything further. Her lips trembled and she forced her gaze away.

"Anna…" He got down on his knees beside her and reached for her hands. "I'm getting the impression that you have an unfavorable opinion of me for what I've done."

She frowned. _Unfavorable indeed. It almost feels like being out on the fjord all over again._ The look on Hans' face was unmistakable. It may have lacked the twisted, disturbing grin from years ago—a sight burned into her memory—but in this instance, it was replaced with raw, feral rage. It, too, put a shiver down her spine. Thankfully, the gaze was directed at the soldier, not her. But it didn't make her any more comfortable. No matter the circumstance going forward, that was a side—or two—of Hans that she _never_ wanted to see again.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've known you to go to for blood."

He squeezed her hands gently and bore his eyes into hers. "I want you to understand something. Despite what you think of me, I am not some cold-blooded-murderer. Up until this venture of ours, I have never killed anyone in my life. I don't regret my actions, but that doesn't mean I'm proud of them. This is a dangerous situation we're in, Anna. We don't know what each day will bring. Take today—a walk down a country road nearly cost us our lives. We're going to be put in plenty of situations where survival is _everything_. That could easily mean 'kill or _be killed'." _He sighed, "I'm not saying it's right, or easy. But at this stage, we don't have the luxury of the moral high-ground."

Anna shook her head dismissively, "There's always another option. There… there _has_ to be."

"Was there an alternative today?" He asked, "A real one?"

She turned her head away. The day's events could have been avoided had they not been on the road. The regiment would have merely passed through without distraction just like the one before it.

_But that's not what he's talking about. _She sighed,_ once those men came over to us, I don't think there was anything Hans could have said to make them leave us in peace. But even self-defense maneuvers could have been done in ways that weren't permanent._

"…the man in the woods… you could have knocked him out at least two different ways. He didn't even know you were there!" She said softly, "so what if he woke back up? We stole his horse, and it would've been a while before he met up with his group again."

"…perhaps."

"—and what could he possibly have said? That he and his comrades got bested by some poor country peasants? I doubt he'd really want to humiliate himself and shatter his ego." A slight shrug and then she looked upon him with tired eyes. "I saw the look on your face. You enjoyed running that man through."

Something flashed in his eyes. For a moment, he seemed angry. Brows furrowed, eyes narrowed, even his mouth twisted into a scowl. She half expected him to pull away from her and go off on her again. Instead, after about a minute, his expression softened, and his hands gave hers another squeeze.

"There was _no _enjoyment in what I did. Seeing what that piece of filth was going to do with you made my blood boil. You're right. I didn't have to kill him. I _needed_ to. I _needed_ to make sure he'd never be able to attack you or anyone else again."

She bristled and tried to wrench her hands free, but his grip on them tightened. "Because that's not the reasoning of a cold-blooded-killer at all." She said sarcastically, "Like I said, out for blood. Well. You certainly got your wish. You did a good enough job on him that you've gotten his blood on _me_, too."

Hans shook his head, "I'm sorry you had to witness that up close, that you're left with the trauma and horror from it all. Consider that my only true regret. But I won't apologize for anything else." He said with a frown, "you and I are not going to see eye to eye on this, so I'm done defending myself. Nothing I say will convince you otherwise."

"On that, we agree." She grumbled.

"We come from two very different worlds, Anna." Hans replied, "You see my actions as destructive and dangerous. I see them as a matter of survival. We have only each other to rely on, and I promised I would do whatever it took to keep you safe. You are too important to fall into their hands. Beker and his goons can't ever think they can get the better of your sister. Don't forget, it's not just about _us_. I left Charlotte behind just to save you. We also have to assume that our families know nothing about what's really transpired here. Our arrival might be the only way the kingdoms can rally to fight back. So perhaps the next time I take matters into my own hands to keep us alive, you might think twice before questioning my motives."

He let go of her hands and she immediately tucked them safely under the blanket. "It's uncomfortable for me to accept killing someone—anyone—after what you've done in the past. I don't want you murdering anyone for my sake. I can't…." she struggled to find the right words, "…I can't bear that burden. Taking the life of another for whatever reason will always be wrong to me—"

"—then you'll be the one to benefit from an untarnished soul and a clean record. My past decisions have put me past the point of no return, so I have no moral issue doing what needs to be done. But I swear to you, Anna. Everything I did—do—will do—is to protect us. Protect You. I just need you to trust me to do the right thing for the both of us."

Her eyes scanned his face. His eye contact was unwavering, and his voice seemed sincere. She wanted to trust him. But every time she thought she was close to, he said or done something to send him right back to square one.

"You don't make it easy." She eventually said.

"Do you think you could at least _try_?"

She frowned, "Do you think _you_ could try to understand my side?" She shot back, "Trust goes both ways, Hans. Perhaps the next time we're in a spot, you'll think twice before running a man through, or chopping off his head, or however it'd be that you'd end someone."

He sighed loudly, "if I promise to, can we move past this?"

She stared at him for a few moments before nodding her head. "This won't go away, you know. I'm sure these arguments will keep coming back. With our luck, probably tomorrow."

A quirky smile tried to force its way onto his face, "Perhaps we should save our jabs for future rounds, then." His hand reached to pat her arm. "It's over, there's no point in discussing it any further. Today has worn you down. Why don't you try to rest?"

_It wore us both down._ She took a deep breath and stared off towards the lake, at the calm water and quiet atmosphere. By now, the sun had completely set, and the only light dancing on the water came from the stars and moon as it moved in and out behind wispy clouds. But for all the peace the evening brought, she now felt little of it inside.

"I don't think I can," she admitted. "I think I'm afraid to close my eyes. No doubt any sleep I get will be littered with nightmares." She rubbed her arms, "I mean, I'm not even sleeping, and I can still see that man's death as clear as it happened hours ago." She cringed and glanced back to Hans. "I'm sure you don't need me telling you this, but you're quite a dramatic killer."

His eyebrow arched, "I am?"

Anna raised her chin up high and echoed Hans' earlier words with a pointed look, "_no one touches my wife but me_."

"Oh. That." Hans let a chuckle escape him, "Well, it's true, isn't it?" You're my wife therefore the honor of caressing you _should_ fall to me and only me."

"HA!" Anna snorted and rolled her eyes, "_Please_. You're lucky I even let you hold my hand as much as you do. And don't even get me started on how we shared the bed last night. You might be my husband, but consider all marital privileges revoked. Indefinitely."

He was fully grinning now, "Exactly my point. If I can't have you, then no one can."

"Oh brother," she rolled her eyes as he stood up and walked back to the horses. "You know, we're pretty terrible at this."

"At what?"

"Being married. It's no wonder they all wanted me. I'm sure anyone with a brain could see through our little ruse."

"It's only been a day. You'll get better at it."

_He did it again!_ She groaned loudly, "Excuse me? I think you mean _we_." He was taking a while by the horses and she struggled to twist around. Her foot fell off the satchel and she whimpered through the struggle of putting it back on its prop. "What are you doing over there?"

"Looking for something. It's a little hard in the dark." He mumbled, "—aha. Here it is." When he returned to the campsite, his hands were entirely behind his back. Whatever he was holding, she couldn't see it.

Her eyebrow raised as she tried to look around him. "What's that in your hands?"

He sat beside her, "close your eyes."

"C'mon, Hans. You're being silly."

"Just do it."

With a sigh, she complied and waited for something to happen. Beside her, she could hear Hans shift and then something light dropped into her lap. "…can I open them now?"

"Yes."

Anna glanced down and gasped. Sitting across her legs was a brown embossed leather-bound book tied closed with a ribbon. Her heart started to thump in her chest as she picked it up and ran her fingers down the cover. Her eyes then darted from the book to Hans.

_This must be his sketchbook! Is he really letting me have a look inside?_ She recalled him being so touchy about the subject. What could possibly have changed his mind?

"Is… is this—"

"Open it." He nudged her gently.

Curiosity and excitement grew as her fingers released the ribbon closure and then pried open the cover, eager to see the secret contents within. As soon as her eyes landed on the first page, her smile vanished. The page was blank. A quick flip from cover to cover showed the entire book to be empty. She immediately turned to Hans for an explanation. He had a mixed expression across his features.

"There's nothing here…." She said disappointedly.

"I know."

Her gaze went back to the book in her hands. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"You said you wouldn't be able to relax," he began, "well, I happen to know that getting a clearer mind helps. I've suffered through plenty of unpleasant nights over my lifetime. Drawing always helped. Being focused on something pleasant like mother nature or a happy memory truly did wonders. Perhaps you'd like to try it yourself."

"M-me? But I'm no arti—" she cut herself off as she began to understand what he was saying, "wait, you're giving this to me? Won't you need it?"

He shook his head, "I brought that along as my spare. Mine is pretty full, but there's probably enough space left for me to manage, especially since my priorities have changed for the foreseeable future." He gestured to the book, "I think you'll benefit from this far more than I."

Her jaw dropped. Hans surprised her yet again. Her mind stated racing. Was he doing this to make up for being partially responsible for her horrors? Or was it just to be nice? Either way, she didn't care. Hans was being respectful of her feelings. This was a very touching gift, and something so personal for him.

"Hans, I… I don't know what to say. I mean, besides _thank you._" She cleared her throat and smiled weakly to him, "thank you."

He nodded and matched her smile with one of his own. "Make that your own. Doodle whatever you like. Or, make it your diary and vent to the paper about how increasingly frustrating I am with every passing day. Whatever you choose, know that those pages are your private sanctuary. I'll never look inside unless you want me to."

Her eyes lit up and she hugged the gift to her chest. "Do you really mean it?"

"I do. We've got a stressful task ahead. It's our small, simple pleasures that'll keep us sane." He stretched his arms, "Now, I want you to rest—however you see fit. I'll keep watch for a while."

As he got up to add more wood into the fire, she took a closer look at the book, from the scrolling details in the cover, to the ribbon clasp and inside pages. The paper had a little bit of texture to it instead of being smooth under her fingertips. As she was about to close the book, she noticed something towards the bottom of the inside cover. It was writing. She didn't notice it her first time opening the cover, and she had to angle the book down towards the fire to catch enough light to read it. What it said made her gasp, and her eyes darted to Hans briefly before she reread the inscription.

_ **A,** _   
_ **Forever a dreamer. May your imaginings bring you all the serenity & strength you desire.** _   
_ **-H** _

She felt some tears bead up in her eyes and she immediately wiped them away. She closed her eyes and clutched the book to her chest once more.

_Thank you._


	15. Compromises

"Has the medic gone?" Viktor Beker asked. He stood off near the fireplace in the study watching the flames flicker back and forth. Behind him near the desk was Sturgis with his hands clasped behind his back.

"About an hour ago," Sturgis replied, "I don't see why that woman deserves such special treatment. She's a prisoner like the rest of their lot."

"And queen to one of the most powerful kingdoms in all the realm. Her husband's navy is strong enough to cripple any opposing force. There's a reason why the Southern Isles hasn't gone to war in over a century. No one is foolish enough to dare a direct confrontation. I will certainly not be the first to let their empire crumble from premature, foolhardy provocation."

Sturgis raised a brow, "Then you have a plan for her?"

"I do." Beker said, "or I did, until her sudden bout of sickness. Did the doctor speak to you before departing? You were overseeing his visit."

"No." He shook his head, "I was not permitted inside the bedchamber by order of a lady's maid."

Beker burst into laughter. "_You_ being spoken down to by an old woman? I'm sorry I missed _that_ conversation."

"If it is your wish, Sir, I can enforce my presence at the doctor's return."

"No," Beker shook his head, "I'm sure the queen will not be pleased to have you in her chamber, anyway. But have the man report to me on his next visit. She will not willingly share what ails her, so I will find out my own way."

"…Yes, Sir…"

It wasn't lost on the Chancellor that Sturgis' tone changed significantly. He turned away from the fireplace to glance at his right-hand man. "Is there more?"

Sturgis shook his head slightly and stepped forward. "It's the matter of our escapees. Our men are still unable to locate the Arendellian princess or the Isles prince." He let out a loud sigh, "I was hoping they'd be picked up in the northern region by now."

"…why north?"

"That's the obvious route they would take." Sturgis explained, "Why wouldn't they? The ports are the quickest and easiest way off the continent."

"Perhaps…" Beker rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But I highly doubt they would make a move so predictable." He moved to the desk and braced his arms on the high back of his chair. His gaze was forward towards Sturgis but there was a faraway look in his eyes. "What do you know of Prince Hans?"

"Nothing, I'm afraid."

"I met him once." Beker said. He still had a distant look on his face as he pulled forward the memory, "Not directly, of course. We were both present for the snow witch's coronation. I was trapped in that miserable kingdom when the queen cursed us all with her magic. We all watched as Prince Hans was forced into command of the situation. He managed well enough to start, but he was calculating everything all the time. A bold proposal to a naïve princess was nothing but a rise for power, and he played the game long enough to have the throne just beyond his fingertips." Beker straightened up and leveled his man a serious gaze, "It can't be a coincidence that this same man slipped right through our walls with just the right girl by his side."

Sturgis shrugged, "What does it mean?"

Beker's eyes narrowed, "The mere fact that Hans fled so quick suggests he knows more of our plans than I'd expect. Too much, in fact, considering he left his own family behind for an ex-fiancée."

"We have to find them."

"Yes, and that has proven far more a difficult task than the men anticipated." His fingers drummed against the chair, "If not north, where _would_ they go?"

"The Southern Isles is nearer than Arendelle. Would they have gone east to Malengrad? Their lands border Rheland but come up further north on the continent." Sturgis suggested, "that is… assuming the Southern Isles is their intended destination."

"All Queen Charlotte said was they were 'going home'. She wouldn't elaborate." Beker moved to one of the windows. His fingers pulled the curtains aside so he could get a glimpse of the gardens below. "Sturgis—if _you_ were in their position, how would you plan such a journey?"

The officer remained silent for a few moments as he thought it over. "Well, my first instinct would've been to try the northern ports."

"Yes, but now you have to think outside the box." Beker replied, "we have to think as Prince Hans—I'm sure he's the one orchestrating this entire operation. If there's one thing history has taught, it's to never underestimate a Westergaard."

"I'm afraid I don't know much about the Westergaard lineage."

Suddenly, Beker snapped his fingers and glanced over his shoulder, "there's someone here who does. Come, my friend. Perhaps a little bit of knowledge can light our way." He swept from the room with Sturgis immediately following behind. Together they moved briskly through the castle halls. Any servants they encountered quickly and nervously moved to the sides to allow them past. It wasn't long before they reached the library and Beker wasted no time pushing the doors wide open. Guards flanking the door inside immediately saluted as the gentlemen entered.

At the far end of the chamber, seated at a large table covered in texts and parchment was Lord Mason. There was a pen in his right hand, however he wasn't writing; his head was even slumped down towards the table.

As Beker made his way around the table, his eyebrows raised curiously at the sight of the elder scholar. The man appeared to be asleep, and unlike Sturgis, who was ready to violently wake the man, the chancellor merely watched him snooze for a few minutes with an amused expression on his face. He eventually took his knuckles and rapt them on the wooden surface when it seemed the man wasn't going to awaken on his own. Lord Mason was then startled awake, and after a few hard blinks, he raised his head up. His body immediately stiffened upon seeing the two Alvanians across the table.

"Good afternoon, "Beker said cordially. "I didn't realize we were disturbing your mid-day nap."

"I wasn't aware you were _allotted_ an afternoon snooze in the first place." Sturgis added with his arms crossed over his chest.

Lord Mason's gaze shifted between the gentlemen, but he remained silent.

Beker's eyes moved to the open rolls of parchment scattered around the table. "There does seem to be a significant lack of progress done here. Perhaps we need another man here to keep a better eye on you—"

"NO!" Lord Mason blurted out, then immediately cleared his throat, "It… it was not my intention ton sleep, Sir. Only the constant reading had tired my eyes. They needed a respite."

"Perhaps you could make better use of your break by offering some of your vast knowledge."

The scholar's eyes narrowed. "And if I refuse?"

Beker shrugged casually, "Then I'll leave, and Sturgis will stay behind to put you back to work—and I can guarantee you'll get no further 'rest breaks' until I get results."

Lord Mason sighed and set his pen down. "I imagine the other alternative would be killing me."

"I would prefer _not_ to. You are far too valuable to discard like trash."

"Like you did my king?" Lord Mason spat.

Sturgis stepped forward, "Watch your tongue!"

The scholar's glaring eye shifted briefly to the officer before he readdressed the Chancellor. "I will say what I please! If you fully expect me to cooperate and betray my royal house, then I should have the small freedom to speak my mind. It's not as if my personal opinions would change your beliefs, anyway."

Beker raised a brow? "What if I choose to censor you?"

"Then you may dispose of me now because I will be of no use to you. I'd rather join my king in a better, peaceful place."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Beker sighed, "It's not Rheland nor her people that I seek insights about today."

"…then what?"

Beker pulled out the chair opposite the scholar and sat down. His hands clasped together on a clean part of the table. "What do you know about the Westergaard line?"

"Westergaard?" Lord Mason asked surprised. "The Southern Isles royal house?"

"Yes."

The elder man cleared his throat and shifted his position in the chair. "The Westergaard lineage dates back several centuries. I believe the first monarch to bear the name was Leopold I back in the fifteenth century when—"

"—please." Beker held up a hand, "I'm afraid I'm not exactly interested in extensive history. My inquiries are about the more recent members of the crown." He said after a brief pause, "the current family, perhaps."

"Ah." Lord Mason removed his spectacles and wiped the lenses with a handkerchief. "Strength. Loyalty. Solidarity. Valor. These are the qualities that define the Westergaard name. King Alexander III was well known to be fair to the people, but strict in maintaining the traditions and laws of his land."

"He was the one to pass recently, no?"

"A few years ago." Lord Mason pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "His eldest son Frederick now claims the throne. But even with the change in kings, there has not been much difference in the kingdom's political atmosphere, as far as I am aware. He and his father are very like-minded."

Beker frowned, "what else?"

The scholar shrugged, not entirely sure what Beker was after. "A great bit of the crown's strength comes from the massive size of the family. King Alexander was blessed with thirteen sons. Many of them play active roles in the kingdom."

"What do you know of them? The brothers—do they hold that much power?"

"My knowledge of the individual princes only goes so far—"

"—whatever you can share." Beker replied.

"There are a few more notable members. I've heard that the current heir to the throne, Viktor, and his twin brother Georg, usually serve as direct liaisons to the people. They are heavily involved in charity work—"

"Domestic affairs do not interest us—" Sturgis butted in.

Lord Mason shot him an agitated glance, "You were not specific."

"Easy, Sturgis. Any little detail could still be useful, even if the opportunity won't come for some time." Beker gestured to the man across the table. "Please continue."

"…Astor is the fifth son. He is the Isle's royal ambassador. He travels to every allied land in the realm at least once a year."

"I assume he's been here recently then?"

Lord Mason nodded, "He was last in Rheland back in the spring. He is a strong diplomat and an expert politician. I've sat in conferences with the young man. It's damn near impossible to pull a lie on this man. He can smell a bad negotiation in the making."

"And where would this Prince Astor be right now?"

Lord Mason stiffened, "I'm a scholar, not a spy."

"Make a guess."

The older man shrugged, "With the late-king's festival taking place and most kingdom representatives _here_, he could be at home. He has been known to remain in the Isles during the Christmas and winter season."

"It's still November." Sturgis said.

"If you think my information is not useful, you are welcome to leave me in peace."

"Hmm…" Beker hummed and drummed his fingers against the wood surface. "Anything else?"

"Alexei, the seventh son, holds the rank of admiral in the navy."

"That's all you have to offer?" Sturgis groaned to the irritation of the scholar, "none of that is helpful in the slightest."

"What about their minds?" Beker asked, "I'm afraid I've only met Prince Hans before. He was shrewd. Calculating. Manipulative. Would his brothers share these traits?"

"I'm afraid I wouldn't know." Lord Mason replied, "I've only been in the presence of Prince Astor until this festival. And while the young Prince Hans has resided in the castle here, we haven't been formally introduced."

Beker shook his head, "I suppose I'm merely trying to get into Prince Hans' mind. He's fled the castle, and I'm left wondering what steps he would take to return to the Southern Isles."

Lord Mason snorted, "then my protested aide stops here. If the young man managed to escape, good for him! I will not be responsible for his recapture."

"Not even at the expense of his sister?" Beker asked curiously. "Queen Charlotte remains here, and I'd hate for her to go through an undue stress—especially with her as ill as she is."

The color slowly drained from the man's face, "you would threaten a defenseless woman over such an inconsequential man? You have so many others trapped here. What does it matter if one managed to flee?"

"It matters because this one knows far too much for my liking, and his flight could have dire consequences for our mission. Now… tell me something I can work with or we'll have to pay a visit to the queen upstairs."

Lord Mason sighed. "The only way to the Southern Isles is by sea. Surely you didn't need _me_ to tell you that."

Beker's eyes immediately narrowed and he leaned forward menacingly, "Please. We're no fools. The northern ports have been closed for days. He has not made an appearance."

"Then I have nothing else to offer." Lord Mason said quickly and picked up his pen.

Beker leapt to his feet without taking his eyes off the librarian, "Sturgis, find General Andersen. Have him meet you at Queen Charlotte's room."

"Yes, Sir." Sturgis straightened to attention and bowed his head. He only made it a few steps away from the table when Lord Mason's resigned voice stopped him.

"Chartridge." He said defeatedly.

"Chartridge?" Beker repeated quizzically. "What is that? What does that—" he paused for a moment as his mind began to race. The name sounded familiar, and he knew he's heard it before. "…Are you referring to Chartridge University?"

"I've said enough." Lord Mason grumbled. "Good day."

Beker raised his brow and motioned for Sturgis to follow him into the corridor.

"Shall we go to the queen?" Sturgis asked.

"No. I believe we can decipher _that_ ourselves." They walked down the hall together. "Chartridge University is in the middle of Corona."

"Corona? Do you really suspect Prince Hans to have gone _there_? What's the connection?"

"I don't know. It seems an unlikely place, and I'm surprised he didn't suggest Malengrad. They're only east of here and closer to the Isles by sea."

"Perhaps he is trying to deceive us." Sturgis suggested. "Malengrad does seem like a logical choice."

"We'll have to increase our efforts, regardless. King Alastor will be my next priority here. Claiming his lands will make It harder for our fugitives if that is truly where they've gone."

"What about the university?"

Beker paused and turned to his officer, "In order for Hans to make it to Corona, he'd have to cross Alvania first." He glanced away as the possible scenario played out in his mind. It was almost ludicrous to flee a captor and then waltz right into their own territory. It wouldn't be his idea of an escape. If it were up to him, he would have gone northeast to Malengrad, and perhaps they could even be halfway to the border by now. But this was Hans. Would he have imagined Malengrad to be as obvious as going straight north to the closed ports?

"Send our scouts back out west. Get word to our forces to search everywhere in our land, just in case."

"But what about our military needs elsewhere?" Sturgis asked, "Surely if we're rushing the timetable, our forces will be scattered incredibly thin."

"Then we'll use the working class to our advantage, and I know just how to do that." He signaled Sturgis to follow him upstairs to the third floor. "When it comes to peasants, they'll always respond well to gold."

* * *

Anna was surprised to find it was morning when she woke up. She distinctly remembered Hans telling her he'd stay up for _a while_, not _all night_. A part of her wished he did wake her sometime overnight. A good portion of her early hours were rather restless. Her dreams, from what she could recall, were strange, often disturbing images and mixtures of her memories on the frozen fjord and yesterday's grim slaughter. Up until last night, she thought she had seen the last of Hans plaguing some of her nightmares. It didn't matter if his sword was coming down onto her, her sister, or a foreign soldier. Murderous intent was all the same. Despite their honest talk and his reasonings, it would be a while before she ever became comfortable with his survival methods.

She was better at hiding discomfort every time that she forced herself awake. Her quiet gasps and groans didn't disturb Hans. Every time her eyes opened; he was sitting in roughly the same spot by the fire. Not once did her look her way.

As Anna struggled into more of a sitting position, she felt something slide from her lap onto the ground beside her. It was the sketchbook. She picked it up and gently brushed off some small bits of leaves and dirt from the leather surface. Once it was clean, she slowly opened the book and ran her fingers along the inside cover, stopping them just above the inscription. Now that there was daylight, she got a better look at his message. The penmanship was surprisingly tidy considering he wrote it in the dark. Glancing slightly to the right, the first blank page stared back at her. Even though Hans gave her the book to help her unwind, she couldn't bring herself to start using it. At least not yet. She found the idea of using art as a coping mechanism intriguing but wasn't sure what to draw first.

That, and he never gave her a pencil. She found herself too shy last night to ask for one.

_I wonder if Hans followed his own advice.…_ she wondered. _He seemed a bit stressed, too._ Her eyes scanned the areas where Hans was sitting last night. A second sketchbook was nowhere to be found.

There was also no sign of Hans.

_Wait, what?_ Anna did a double take around their campsite. Surprisingly, the fire was still burning. There were shaved twigs and branches all over the place. But no Hans. She missed it at the first glance, but leaning against one of the surrounding trees were his boots and socks.

…_where did he go?_ "H-Hans?"

There was no verbal reply, however a few minutes after her call, she heard loud splashing coming from the lake.

"_Aha! Gotcha!"_

_That_ was definitely Hans' voice, and her eyes scanned near the water for a glimpse of her companion. Suddenly he appeared coming up from the small incline at the lakeshore with a large fish in his hand. His trousers were hiked up above his knees, and his lower legs and feet were dripping wet. She watched him curiously, silently, as he sat back down at the fire. He didn't even make one glance in her direction.

"…good morning…" She said softly, hoping to get his attention.

His eyes immediately snapped upwards and locked on her. His gaze softened and a half-smile formed on his face. "Good morning! I didn't expect you to be awake so early."

"Early? What time is it?"

"It's barely seven-thirty. Or… it _was_ when I went down to the lake." He replied, "Considering how easily you slept in on that miserable excuse of a bed yesterday, I thought you'd be out a lot longer."

She forced a smile and turned her head away to hide the faintest bits of a blush forcing its way onto her cheeks.

"Did you sleep?"

She glanced back to him, "A bit of a delayed start, but I got some rest. What about you? I thought we were going to take turns keeping watch."

"Don't worry about me. I wasn't tired." He replied and redirected his attention back to the task at hand.

Anna tried to lift herself up from the ground to get a better view of his work. "What are you doing over there?"

"Making breakfast. I hope you don't mind fish."

She shrugged. "I like fish."

Once the catch was cooking over the flame, he came over and knelt beside her outstretched legs. "How do you feel?" he asked and glanced to her propped foot.

Anna bit her lip and wiggled her toes slowly before trying to shift her foot back and forth. It was no longer unbearable, but the pain was still there. "It still hurts, but not like yesterday."

"Do you think you'll be able to walk?"

"I suppose there's only one way to find out." She said with a shrug.

He gently placed his hand under her calf and slowly raised her foot from the satchel. "It certainly looks a little better." He said after getting a closer look and tracing his free hand around her ankle. She didn't violently react to his touch as she did the night before. That was a good sign. "Would you like to join me by the fire or stay here?" He asked once her foot was carefully replaced onto the prop.

"I'll have my breakfast in bed, thanks." She said coyly. "Now go back and check on it before it all turns to char."

* * *

He didn't show it at the campsite, but Anna noticed once they set off that Hans looked dreadful. Whatever energy he had before was long gone now. Every time she glanced over at him, she saw an increasingly tired expression across his face. His eyes only seemed half-open, and his posture was rather slouched.

_We should have taken turns last night._ Anna sighed. _He may have been doing me a favor by letting me sleep, but he's the one paying for it today._

"…are you sure you're alright? She asked. Her voice broke the long silence between them. His head jerked suddenly at the sound before turning to her.

"I'm fine."

_Yeah, I doubt that._ Still, she didn't force the subject. His exhaustion tolerance was far better than her own, and she didn't raise her voice at him until much later that morning when Hans' body slumped forward to the point that he almost fell from the saddle.

"You can't go on like this!" She exclaimed as she steered her horse right up next to his. "Hans, we have to stop! You need to get some sleep."

He immediately shook his head. "We can't. Too much time was lost yesterday."

"But you're no good the way you are. Sure, you managed to wake up _this time_, but what if it happens again and you can't catch yourself? It's bad enough I'm still hurt. We can't afford to have you hit your head on the ground or something."

"Anna, I—" He was interrupted by her reaching across and snatching the reins from his hand.

"No! It's my turn to be in charge. You're going to get off that horse right now! You're going to find a nice cozy spot under a tree of your choosing and you're going to take a nice little nap."

His eyes narrowed. "And what are _you_ going to do?"

"Sit watch," she replied. "What else?"

He shook his head and with a huff, swung his leg over and got down from the saddle. "This is a waste of time." He muttered as he walked around to the other side of her horse and helped her down to the ground.

"Well we wouldn't be doing this if you had woken me up to switch shifts last night."

"You were traumatized and needed the rest. I can't believe you're punishing me for being considerate." Once she was steady on her own feet, he took the reins and secured them to a tree. A pointed look was shot her way as he moved off to a neighboring tree trunk and slumped down onto the ground.

Anna sighed softly as she slowly limped over to him. When she knelt next to him, he turned his head away to stare off in the other direction. "Hey," she whispered and nudged his arm gently. When he didn't move, she lifted her hand to turn his head towards her. "I'm not punishing you. And you're right. You were being _very_ considerate last night. I appreciated every bit of sleep that I managed to get—it just wasn't practical. You keep denying it, but you needed the rest too. A-and you're injured also, it's not all about me." She said with her gaze shifting briefly to his one arm. His bloodstained sleeve was now wrapped up by a torn-off piece of her petticoat.

"This is nothing." He remarked and followed her gaze. "It doesn't really hurt much anymore. And it really doesn't compare to what you went through, which is why I don't want to—"

"—well too bad!" She cut him off. "Lay down. Get comfortable—oh. And give me your pocket watch. I'll keep track of the time."

He removed his satchel and placed it under his head. "Wake me in an hour. I mean it."

"…fine." She said with no real intention of following his request. If anything, she was going to try and give him two unless he woke first. If he was truly adamant about being her protector, he wouldn't be of much use without energy. She got to her feet once he settled and closed his eyes. Laying next to him on the ground was his sheathed sword belt. Not wanting him to roll over on top of the weapon, she quietly moved around him to pick it up.

_If I'm going to keep watch, I might as well be able to defend myself properly._

As she stepped away to put some distance between her and Hans, she looked down at the scabbard in her hands. The sword had some weight to it. Nothing unbearable. She examined the belt. The band seemed rather large. Even with the smallest adjusted setting, it would still probably be too loose to hang around her waist. After a short while of holding it, she decided to just sit down instead and draped the weapon across her legs.

_I'm sure the odds of me using this are slim anyway_, she thought to herself, _Hans seems keen to be the keeper of virtually everything. I don't really see why it has to be that way._

Her fingers traced slowly and mindlessly over the sword's hilt. Just like the previous night, she was feeling the effects of the quiet time. Her mind started to race as it brought up memories of yesterday's maddening chase. The brief encounter really put things into perspective for her on how fast everything could go downhill. And Hans' words echoed in her mind.

"_kill or be killed…."_

_NO_. She shook her head. _That might be Hans' way, but it's not mine. It will never be mine. Those men put me as an easy target, but it didn't have to be that way. _She slowly removed the sword partially from its scabbard and moved her gaze along the exposed edge. _How different would yesterday have been if I had a sword of my own? A means of fighting back?_

Anna frowned and glanced across the way to where Hans was dozing. His bandaged arm stood out. _Hans may not have gotten hurt if he wasn't all by himself. He sent me away because I couldn't do anything to help. And he really can't expect to be the sole defender between the two of us. What would happen if he were incapacitated? I must be able to protect myself, too, not solely rely on him._

A wave of determination coursed through her as she forced her way to her feet. The sword belt then went around her waist and she easily buckled it at the tightest setting. The instant she let go, it fell loosely around her hips.

"Well… at least it's still up." She muttered out loud and then immediately unsheathed the sword to get the extra weight off her. Then she took a few steps away towards the trees and firmly gripped the hilt with both hands, the blade extended upward.

_Pfft. As if Hans is the only one who can swing this thing around._

Anna's face formed into a frown as she closed her eyes and imagined one of the Alvanian soldiers from yesterday standing before her. The harsh eyes; the smug grin; the very vision before her made her blood boil.

_Never again…._ She vowed to both herself and to the specter in her mind. _Never again will you or any other man believe they can get their way with me. I am not weak. I am not a maiden in need of defending. I am Anna, Princess of Arendelle, and I _will_ fight back with every bit of strength that I have._

Immediately, she stepped forward and swung the sword right into what would have been the ghostly soldier before her. What she didn't expect was for the tip of the blade to collide with something.

"Oh!" She gasped in surprise and forced her eyes open. She was closer to a tree than she than she thought and managed to sever one of the lower hanging branches. She stared at the fallen limb on the ground before turning around to glance at Hans. With his seemingly keen hearing, she expected him to stir himself awake. He didn't seem to move.

"He must really be out of it." She whispered before facing forward again. "I guess I better do this with my eyes open before I beat up another tree."

She resumed her previous stance and began moving the sword through the air, swinging the weapon at a much slower speed than before. One direction, then another. After one particularly long thrust, she lost her footing through a turn and ended up putting too much weight on her injured ankle. Anna bit down on her lip as she lowered the weapon and limped her way to the nearest tree. She leaned against it for a few minutes to let the throbbing subside.

_Stupid foot_… she sighed. When she did push away, she made more of an effort to keep her weight to one side. With the sword raised up, she began practicing again as if there was a real opponent opposite her.

This time, however, before she could get too many moves in, she was startled when a set of hands came around her from behind and grasped the sword hilt over her own.

"Anna…." Hans sighed exhaustedly, "what are you doing?"

She turned her head slightly to the side and frowned, "just passing the time. Go back to sleep. It hasn't been an hour yet."

"It doesn't matter. I'm up, we can keep going." He replied and nudged her hands. "I'll take this back now."

"Wait, what?" Anna roughly broke away and whirled around to face him. "Why?"

His brow immediately raised, "what do you mean 'why'?"

"Why can't I hold onto it?" She elaborated and held it a bit further from his reach.

Hans snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response—"

"—Hey, c'mon! Give me some credit here." Anna exclaimed. "You can't be the only one in charge of everything all the time. And why can't I? Maybe I actually _want_ to be able to defend myself."

"Well you're certainly not going to use _that_." He remarked and gestured to the weapon in her hands. "For one thing, you're holding it wrong. Your posture is all off. In a real fight, you wouldn't last five whole minutes the way you were swinging it about."

"Hmmph!"

"For another thing, how do you expect to transport it? You sheathe that sword and the whole belt will slide right off your hips."

"It will no—HEY!" She gasped loudly as he boldly stepped forward and unbuckled the clasp as she wore it. It easily came undone and he yanked it away. Her jaw dropped as he reattached it to his own belt and held out a hand for the sword. "I can't believe you just did that!"

"Give me the sword."

"NO!" She shouted back. "If I'm so terrible, then teach me how to use it!" When her plea was only met by a glare from him, she leveled one of her own. "What's the matter? Afraid I'll best you in a fight?"

He scoffed. "Hardly!"

"Ooh, so you don't think I can do it because I'm a girl. Well let me tell you something." She leaned forward and prodded an index finger into his chest. "I _know_ I can do it. I'm not afraid. I once bashed a lute into an angry wolf's face, so don't make me out to be some pathetic—"

"You're putting words in my mouth!"

"Prove me wrong then!"

His eyes narrowed as he pushed past her towards the trees. Her gaze followed, and when it appeared that he wasn't going to turn back, she started hobbling after him. It was harder to keep up with his faster strides, and finally he stopped near one rotted out tree trunk. There was a decent sized branch hanging low enough for him to reach and with a good bit of strength, he broke it away from the trunk. By the time she reached him, he was bouncing the branch from one hand to the other, testing the weight.

Immediately, he sprung on her. His entire body whirled around to face her and then swung the branch like a sword. Anna barely had time to put her own weapon up to block the strike. As soon as his weapon seemed to lower, it was up and striking back just as fast.

Hans was fighting her one handed, but it didn't soften the force of his blows. Every time the branch hit the sword, she felt her body being pushed back. There wasn't much time in between for her to even attempt a counterstrike. From a swing to her left, her arms then had to come up when Hans' next strike came higher. As the two weapons clashed, she could hear the branch begin to fracture.

Hans held his position for a moment as he pushed more of his weight onto her. His eyes were extremely focused on his otherwise expressionless face. She took his brief pause to take a half-step back and attempt an actual strike of her own down towards his right side. It was immediately blocked, and this time when he slammed his branch against the sword, the force of the impact broke the weapon right in half.

"O-oh," Anna sighed and started to lower the sword. She believed the impromptu sparring session to be at an end. With most of his branch now splintered all over the ground, Hans wasn't left with much else to fight with. How wrong she was—while her guard was down, he feigned a swing to distract her so his boot could jut out and knock her off balance.

"Aah!" She cried as her feet were knocked out from under her and she fell hard to the forest floor. Her foot throbbed as the impact knocked the wind from her. Just to her side laid her weapon mere inches from her reach, but before she could even try to grab it, Hans had picked up the sword, sheathed it, then knelt beside her with a conceited look on his face.

"Hans!" She hissed and propped herself up on her elbows. "What were you doing?" She felt her cheeks redden as his face lowered closer to hers.

"Proving my point. _That_ is why you won't have the sword."

Her eyes narrowed. "I was doing just fine until you decided to cheat!"

"And you're naïve if you think a real opponent would fight fair. That's like the first rule in engaging an enemy. And no—you didn't put up much of a fight. I disarmed you pretty fast, and I even went easy on you."

"It didn't seem like it."

"I let you stand still. In a real fight, I would've circled you like a predator seeking out your weak points—which I can guarantee you—will happen if an actual soldier picks a battle with you."

Her frown deepened, "well you won. Are you satisfied now?"

Hans shrugged. "Brute force seemed the only way to get you to understand since its clear all of our arguments go right over your head."

Anna sighed and turned away. "I'm just tired of feeling helpless. You're in control of _everything_. What we eat. Where we go. When we stop. I don't have a say in _anything_. I don't even have a hand in my own safety. _You_ made the decision to make me flee that fight. And after the way yesterday turned out…." She trailed off. "I don't want to feel weak again. I don't want to be defenseless or an easy target. But what I want never seems to agree with you." Her mouth twitched as she felt his fingers touch under her chin and force her gaze in his direction.

"For the record," he began, "I have no issue with you wanting to protect yourself. It'd be a great relief to know that while I will do everything I can to protect you, that you're also capable enough to protect yourself—and _me_ to an extent—should the need arise. But we have to do this rationally." His one hand moved to rest on the sword hilt. "I've been wielding a blade since I was ten years old. I was taught by my brother Alexei-one of the most skilled swordsmen in my land. I'm sure even you can acknowledge that that outranks your less-than-an-hour practice session."

"…it does." She grumbled quietly. "But that doesn't mean you can't help me do better. If you're that skilled, you can pass some of that on to me! I'm willing to learn! Just give me a chance! Please."

Hans took a deep breath. "Alright, fine. I'll concede to you. At a more opportune time, we'll practice."

"Why not now?"

"I'm too tired. And your foot is still healing."

"And I'm sure you just set me back another day or two with that little stunt earlier," Anna huffed. "So thanks for that."

"…sorry." He sighed.

Anna shook her head. The morning's squabble might've been over, but the issue was never resolved. There was no way she would let him off so easily. "What am I supposed to do then? Sit around while I watch you play hero every time? I want to fight, too!"

"…well I'm fresh out of lutes."

"Ha. Ha." She briefly stuck out her tongue at him, "I was just taking advantage of what was accessible at the time. So…what's here that I can use?"

Hans tilted his head to one side as he thought it over. "We could try something conventional." His hands moved to his waist to detach the holster from his belt. "Would you like the pistol?"

"I…" she stared warily at the weapon. "I've never used one before…."

"It's pretty straight forward," he replied casually, "Raise. Aim. Shoot."

Anna flinched and made no effort to take it from him. Her mind immediately flashed to Viktor Beker shooting King Wilhelm at point blank range; to Hans firing on the soldiers yesterday. The pistol represented death therefore she wanted no part of it.

"I'd rather not…" She eventually replied quietly. "That thing has killed."

"All weapons will kill, Anna. Even the sword that you desire so much can easily put an end to someone. It's the intent of the wielder and the grace of god that determines someone's fate. Carrying a weapon—any weapon—to defend yourself also means you are comfortable using deadly force if needed." He watched her sit up and squirm, "I'm not saying it _will_ happen, but there are risks to everything."

"But that…" she gestured to the pistol, "almost guarantees it. Is… is there nothing else we have?"

He scratched his cheek. "A dagger in my boot?"

Her brows raised curiously. "May I see?" Her eyes followed his hand to his left boot as he reached in and pulled the small knife out.

"It's not much, but it's sharp and better than nothing at all."

Anna nodded and turned it over in her hands. The small sheath was only adorned with a clip. "I don't suppose this would fit in _my _boot."

Hans shrugged and pushed up the bottom hem of her skirts to rest just beyond her footwear. "I doubt it. But maybe we can get a band for it in the next village. You could wear it under your cloak."

She nodded enthusiastically." I'd like that."

Hans then got to his feet and offered his hand to get her upright again. He pulled her up a lot faster than she was ready for and she ended up wobbling right into him.

"Well, this is awkward…" she mumbled as arms came around her to keep her upright. He only shrugged but made no effort to move his hands from her shoulders.

"You can still walk, right?"

"Um… yeah. I think so." She took a few small steps back. Once she felt confident that she wouldn't buckle, she turned and pointed back to where they abandoned the horses. "If you're not going to sleep anymore, then let's go."

This time, Anna welcomed his arm draped around her to keep her steady. If she crumbled to the ground, it was all his fault, anyway. And with luck, the rest of the day would be smoother now that it seemed their daily squabble was out of the way. This one at least resulted somewhat as a victory in her favor, even if the physical spoils had to wait. Still, that didn't mean she couldn't try to bargain for something else in the meantime.

"Can I have something else, too?" She asked suddenly once they were in reach of the horses. "I want control of our money." Hans didn't verbally reply, only shot her a curious look. She sighed, "It's only fair. If you're in charge of both our offense _and_ defense wherever we go, why can't I manage our financial status while in town?"

"Well…."

"I promise not to go on frivolous spending sprees! We only have so much gold left and I know we've got to save it. A-and anything major that I want to buy, I promise to consult you first." She quickly added, "_please_, Hans. We're a team, right?"

"Yes…"

"And holding money seems like a very domestic thing for a wife to do!" Anna beamed.

Hans couldn't resist snorting, and for a moment, Anna thought he would refuse. "Not that either of us are experts on how the common folk handle their marital roles." He pointed out, "but if it makes you feel better, fine."

"Really? Just like that?" She blinked in surprise as he dug through his saddle bag. Maybe there really was something to keeping just one argument per day. He caved to this request incredibly fast.

"Not _all_ of it." Hans pulled out the large coin pouch and deposited it in her hands so he could dig through the satchel for something else.

The sack weighed far more than she anticipated, and it seemed to bulge far more than it did when he took it out at Helga's Inn.

"How did this get so heavy?"

"I'm sure you recall three unfortunate soldiers that got taken out yesterday."

"Yeah…" she said at first, and then her jaw dropped when his meaning suddenly hit her. "Wait—you pick-pocketed dead men?"

His brow raised as he took out a smaller velvet pouch and split up some of the coins for her. "It's not as if they'll need it anymore. Their loss is our gain. And we'll need every advantage we can get. I can assure you, most of our minor problems can be solved with a little extra gold."

Anna was rendered speechless, but not in the way she would expect. For all her opposition to Hans' acts of violence, this was one aspect of it that she could find no fault. It was a strange sensation, to benefit from someone's demise. And as she pocketed the smaller velvet bag of coins, she wished she actually felt a little bit of guilt.

* * *

Heidelberg, one of the smaller cities in Alvania's southeastern region, was not what Anna expected. She was hoping for some small-town charm like what Greja offered. Instead of neatly landscaped lawns, clean streets and pleasant atmospheres, here everything seemed… in a word, dirty. The buildings along one of the central streets all seemed large, bland, even run-down in a way. The streets themselves looked too crowded for their own good. Citizen pedestrians, horse-drawn carriages, even a few soldiers here and there all rushing about.

The livery stables were mostly empty. The caretaker had no problem stalling two horses for a few hours. Judging by his reaction to their arrival, it seemed Heidelberg didn't receive many travelers. Hans was delighted to get a cheaper rate per horse compared to what they had to surrender in Greja, but Anna wasn't sure if it was a good thing to lock away their only means of transportation. Now that the border had been crossed, she felt a heightened sense to flee every time she saw a familiar black and emerald uniform. But being the submissive wife that she had to pretend to be, she kept her mouth shut.

She stuck close to Hans as they walked around the city. It was such a relief to be able to blend into the crowd. Passersby's paid them no mind. Soldiers brushed right by them without giving them a second glance. She let out a huge sigh of relief and glanced up to Hans. He smiled warmly to her and even brought their joined hands up to lay a brief kiss on the back of hers. A blush formed on her cheeks, though inside she wanted to vomit. She enjoyed passing through towns on a general sense—they made for a great change of scenery compared to endless trees, and it gave the opportunity to restock some food and supplies. But being forced to endure an affectionate Hans and even reciprocate said romantics was not one of her preferred activities. It was the one aspect that made her long for dirt roads and thick forests.

They turned down a side street that was slightly less bustling, and up ahead they could see the market square in the distance. She tugged Hans along eagerly. Regardless if she was on a shopping spree or strictly forced to window-shop, Anna always enjoyed browsing vendor carts and boutiques. Enemy city or no, this could still make for a fun afternoon.

Just as they entered the market, she felt a resistant tug from Hans. "Wait."

She looked up at him expectantly. "What? Don't want to go shopping with me?"

He leaned his head closer to hers. "Don't stray too far. I don't want to lose you." His index finger then gently tapped her nose, "and no splurging, _Dear_."

She grinned at him and batted her eyelashes. "You can trust me, _Nikki_." And with a giggle, she tore away from him to peruse the merchant carts. On the way, she passed an Alvanian soldier tacking a notice to a nearby message board. She ignored it, but it caught the attention of Hans, who walked over to the board once the soldier had walked away.

The board was covered in different messages, from locals trying to recruit farm work to a plea about a lost dog. A few them got an honest chuckle out of him. But then his eyes landed on the newest post and his jaw dropped in shock and horror. Staring back at him was a wanted poster with a very _familiar_ artistic rendering of Princess Anna right in the center.


	16. Wanted

-Arendelle-

Queen Elsa rubbed her temples as she forced her way out of her study. After a long day of negotiating with the Snoob delegation, she really needed a break.

As she turned down another corridor, she got a glance out the window. The sun was starting to set, and her view of the fjord was consumed with mixtures of orange, purple, and pink with wispy clouds scattered in the sky. She paused to look and inhaled deeply. It was a beautiful sight. Extremely calming. Up ahead, there was a balcony facing the western sky. Immediately, she stepped outside and learned her arms out on the railing. The breeze was cool, and it felt wonderful compared to the stuffy air inside her study.

"It's a shame Anna's not here to see this. Sunsets are her favorite parts of the day, and this one is incredibly beautiful…." She said to herself.

Elsa's brow instantly furrowed as a frown formed across her face. _Anna…._

Her ship was due back yesterday morning. While she was upset at the lack of arrival, she understood that things didn't always go according to plan—especially when her younger sister was involved. Anna wasn't exactly known for being punctual.

_Judging by how quiet the castle had been today, I suppose it's safe to assume she's still late._

Elsa pushed away from the railing and went back inside. _Don't fret. Don't freak out._ She told herself. _I'm sure she's on her way home right now. There's plenty of reasons why she could be running late. By this time tomorrow, I'm sure her ship will already have sailed into the fjord, and Anna will be here to tell me all about her adventures and the festival._

That mentality certainly helped keep her calm for the rest of that day, but the uneasiness came back full force by the second sunset afterwards. And she wasn't the only one. Kai and Gerda were beginning to show signs of worry, though they tried their best to hide it from her. Kristoff and Sven, once they were settled back in the castle stables, seemed extremely quiet around her.

For good portions of her day, she had her work to keep her occupied. Engagements in the village, hours going over municipal briefs. She kept to herself, though the servants that came in and out of her study did their best to try and keep her spirits up. They all knew sea travel made their queen nervous, and the princess' late arrival certainly didn't help matters. It may have been six years ago, but the deaths of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna were still on everyone's minds. And if _they_ were thinking it, there was no doubt Elsa was, too.

Elsa stopped in her tracks and leaned against the nearest doorknob. Now that she thought about it, the only person she hadn't run into lately was Olaf. In fact, she hadn't seen him in quite some time. Lately, Olaf had been the major source of life and joy around the castle with Anna being away. When he wasn't his naturally inquisitive, bubbly self, he would sometimes keep her company while she read through some of her reports. She had been so busy this week that Olaf's absence wasn't too noticed.

She checked all the usual places Olaf liked to spend time. The music room, the library, the small duckling pond in the south gardens; no sign of the magical snowman.

"Gerda!" Elsa called out to her trusted maid as they passed each other in the corridor. "How have you seen Olaf?"

"Why no, Your Majesty." Gerda replied with a small shake of her head. "Not for several days, actually."

Elsa immediately frowned. It wasn't like Olaf to truly hide, and for such an extended period of time. "Where _did_ you see him last?"

"He was leaving the courtyard, preparing to greet Princess Anna—"

"The docks!" Elsa's eyes widened, "It's been days… he can't still be there." Her hand covered her mouth in shock as she thanked Gerda and hurried away.

She moved fast; her heels clicking against the wooden floors, then cobblestone as she rushed to the docks. In the near distance she could see a white figure slumped on an iron bench overlooking the water. Her pace immediately slowed. Olaf wasn't moving. She wondered if he were sleeping.

When she managed to get in front of him, her heart broke. Olaf really was asleep. His head was dropped to the side; his twiggy hands were clutched to a homemade banner that he made himself.

_Welcome Home Anna!_

Elsa sighed and gently placed a hand on Olaf's arm. "Hey…"

Olaf snorted himself awake and immediately jumped to his feet. He stood as tall as possible on the iron bench and held up the banner high above his head.

"Anna! You're back!" He cheered drowsily.

"N-no, Olaf. It's just me."

Olaf blinked and glanced around. As soon as his eyes set on Elsa, he gave a little hop. "Ooh, Elsa! Hi! You're here to welcome Anna, too!"

She gave a soft smile, "How long have you been out here?"

"A while." He replied, "I had to make sure I was the first to greet Anna!" he gave a high-pitched gasp, "I'm not too late, right? I think I fell asleep. The water is really mesmerizing…"

The corners of Elsa's mouth slowly angled upwards as Olaf kept rambling on. Her eyes glanced down to the banner in his hands. The letters were crocked and sloppy, through it wasn't the worst she'd seen from Olaf. Anna had taught him the basics of how to read and write, and ever since that first day, it had been a small obsession of his to absorb as much knowledge as possible. And there were many times when she would find Olaf lounging on the floor practicing his own style of penmanship.

"—you didn't miss Anna, Olaf." Elsa said softly once Olaf stopped spewing fact after fact about water. "She hasn't come home yet."

"Ooh…" He said. He glanced down at his banner, then flopped onto his rump back onto the bench seat. "This is taking a lot longer than I thought. Ships must move incredibly slow."

"Sometimes," Elsa replied and sat down next to him. "I'm sure she's on her way, though."

"I do hope so." Olaf said, "I miss her." The banner fell from his twig fingers and fluttered off the bench onto the ground. Elsa reached down to pick it up, "Do you miss her just as much as me?"

"Oh of course—even more so." Elsa commented, and let out a soft gasp when his shoulders slumped and the little sticks atop his head drooped. "Hey, what's the matter?"

Olaf took a deep breath and leaned against the back of the bench. "I just really, _really_ want Anna back. It's been so long, and I want to show her all the books I've been reading!"

She gave a weak smile and pointed to the banner in her hands. "And how well you write? It's gotten so much better!"

"Y-yeah." He sighed, "it's not the same here without her. It's… lonely."

"Lonely?" She blinked in surprise and shifted in her seat to face him better, "this castle is full of people."

"But you're busy a lot of the day. A-and Kristoff and Sven are often in the mountains…."

_Oh Olaf…._ She pulled the snowman in for a hug. Over the last three years it's become increasingly clear just how much he and Anna bonded. True, he was the best mixture of both her _and _Anna, but he and Anna knew each other the longest. Together they traveled all over the North Mountain, befriended a family of rock trolls, not to mention conspired to get her out to Wandering Oaken's for more than one sauna appointment. There were even times when Olaf spent more time with Anna over the years than Anna did with Kristoff while the two of them were courting.

Her expression softened the longer she held him_. I think I really underestimated how things would be with Anna gone this long._

"If I neglected you these last few weeks, I'm so sorry." She said, "would you like me to stay here with you until she comes?"

"It might be a while…." Olaf said, "do you think she's still at the festival?"

Elsa shrugged, "I hope not. The festival was supposed to end earlier in the week."

"Oh." He broke away from her and slumped forward.

"Hey…" She nudged him, "we just have to be patient. Anna… Anna will be home soon. And in the meantime, we still have each other, right? I'm sorry if I've neglected you, Olaf. We… _I_… really missed this chance to spend some wonderful one-on-one time with you with her away. But we can make up some of that time while we wait."

Olaf looked up to Elsa with large orb-eyes. "I would love that! And we can start with warm hugs!"

Elsa couldn't resist giggling as she welcomed the snowman's sudden embrace. "What would you like us to do?"

"Oh, I don't know. There's so many things!" He said cheerfully as he peered over her shoulder. "We can go to the mountains and visit Marshmallow and Slush and Sludge and Ansel and Flake and Flurry and William—" Elsa couldn't help but chuckle as Olaf named off the snowgies by name, - "…and maybe we can turn the courtyard into another ice rink! Or skip stones in the pond! We can even wave to all the new ships coming into the fjord!"

Elsa laughed and let go of him, "Oh Olaf, we can do all of those th—" she paused and thought about his list of activities. "Did you say ships coming into the fjord?" She glanced over her shoulder and her eyebrows lifted in surprise. There were three vessels sailing in. Her excitement waned at first at the apparent lack of the crocus flag on the high mast.

Olaf glanced to her briefly before hopping off the bench and going forward to the rope guards. "That's a pretty flag!" He said and pointed to the center ship as it sailed in flanked by the other two.

Elsa moved to stand beside the snowman, "It's a diplomatic flag, used by their kingdom's ambassador." She said and watched the banner billow in the wind as the ship came closer. She recognized the insignia. The crest belonged to the Southern Isles. _How strange…_ she thought. _There weren't any upcoming appointments scheduled with Prince Astor, and he was just here several months ago._

A few Arendellian guards posted in the square met Elsa and Olaf down the ramp at the docks when the ambassadorial vessel dropped anchor and their gangplank. Her men kept back a few feet behind her while they waited for the ship's occupants to disembark.

The first two men down were members of the King's guard. Elsa recognized their elaborate uniform. They stood at attention flanking the bottom of the plank. Her curiosity was rising by the second as the ship's captain—Karl Hallbeker—descended next. He immediately moved past the guarded men and bowed deeply to her.

"Queen Elsa." He said formally as he straightened back up. She gave a small, cautious smile as he pivoted to the side and took up an attentive stance as well. "May I present His Majesty King Frederick, and his Royal Highness, Prince Astor."

Elsa blinked in surprise. She didn't expect the king himself to be aboard the vessel, but glancing off into the fjord, his presence explained the two additional vessels holding position further back in the water. She and the Isles monarch shared a friendly and open line of communication, the same with the ambassador. Never have either of them ever shown up unannounced before.

There was a brief pause between the announcement and King Frederick descending from the ship with his younger brother not far behind him. The king's facial expression was a dead giveaway that something wasn't quite right. He looked incredibly tense and exhausted, and his efforts to cover it up weren't exactly working. The closer he got, the worse he looked, as if at the very least he hadn't slept in a week. Her eyes briefly shifted to Prince Astor. He looked far better in comparison, but his usual welcoming smile was nowhere to be found.

"Queen Elsa," Frederick greeted and clasped her hand in his for a gentle shake. "A pleasure to see you again."

"Yes, it's been quite a while." Elsa nodded with a smile, then angled her head to look just past the king. "And hello again, Prince Astor. This is certainly quite the surprise."

Prince Astor bowed, "I'm sorry we didn't send word ahead—there wasn't enough time."

"Oh?"

Before Frederick could reply, Olaf bound forward with his hands extended in the air. "Don't forget about me! Hi everyone. I'm Olaf! And I like warm hugs!"

The immediate sight of Olaf made Frederick jump back. The nearest guard reached for his weapon to defend his king until Astor quickly gestured to the man to stand down. Frederick's eyes grew wide as he stared curiously at the animated snowman; his jaw dropped open, but he couldn't find proper words to leave his mouth. "H-he's…. alive…." He managed to get out after a few moments of stunned silence.

"Oh, that's right! This is your first visit to Arendelle, isn't it?" Elsa asked.

"Yes…" Frederick said, taking a slight step back and politely shook Olaf's twiggy hand. Everyone in the realm knew about Elsa's magic, but seeing it in-person for the first time, seeing a live creation of hers, was something to get used to. "If only it were under more pleasant circumstances. As it is, this is merely a brief detour on my way north."

Elsa's gaze shifted to the two brothers as an uncomfortable feeling started to form in the pit of her stomach. "Why, what's wrong?"

Frederick took a deep breath, and it looked as if he was struggling to ask his question. "Has Princess Anna returned from Rheland?"

"Nope." Olaf answered before Elsa could, "We're her welcoming committee!"

The Westergaard men exchanged glances briefly before Astor spoke up. "Then perhaps we should return to the castle. There's something we have to discuss."

* * *

The entire surface of Elsa's desk frosted over as she slowly sank down into her chair. Across from her sat both Westergaard brothers looking equally disturbed to how she suddenly felt. Frederick, for never having experienced her magic first-hand until just a short while ago, merely stared downwards towards his lap with an out-of-sorts look on his face. The growing surface frost and drop in room temperature didn't even faze him. His mind was clearly elsewhere.

And Olaf—poor Olaf—if she thought the sight of him at the docks was heartbreaking, nothing topped the wide-eyed, shocked stare aimed right at her as he stood between both brothers' chairs.

"This…" Elsa finally managed to get out after banishing the frost, "This can't be…"

Astor glanced to his elder brother for any sign of a response. The king didn't even blink. In fact, he was silent for most of the conversation thus far. "We… we shared similar beliefs—" he cleared his throat when he caught sight of Frederick finally coming back around and flashing him the evil eye. "-well…. _I_ did… when the news first came. Not all of us had spies at our disposal-"

"—spies?" Elsa asked, turning to Frederick, "You _knew_ about this?"

"_Of course not!_" Frederick snapped, finally showing some emotional investment in the conversation. He jumped out of his seat and started pacing around her study near the fireplace. "My agents informed me of military activity growing near the Rheland border. I had my suspicions that something foul was going on, but no one believed me. No one took it seriously—not even my own wife. And now Charlotte's trapped down there amid a violent uprising. Who knows if she's even alright-" He leaned his arm onto the fireplace mantle and turned away from the others as he tried to stifle yet another wave of panic and dread. His jaw quivered for a moment and he closed eyes, took a deep breath to center himself. In the background, he could hear the soft sound of something padding across the wooden floor, and then there was a light, gentle grip on his leg. He peeked an eye open and glanced down. Olaf was by his side. Frederick tensed up at the snowman's presence but didn't make a move to him away.

"Her and Hans." Astor said to Elsa, continuing the conversation. "However, we don't know the state of either of them—if they're alive or even together."

"…Hans?" Elsa asked. _He's there too? _That was certainly unpleasant news, though it paled in comparison to the greater problem at hand. While she certainly didn't want Hans anywhere near her sister, there was the small consolation that he was most likely detained along with the other castle guests, and not a member causing trouble. That at least meant he posed no immediate threat to Anna.

She hoped.

"What of you, Your Majesty?" Astor asked. "Had you any clue about any of this?"

Elsa shook her head. "I was wary about Anna attending the festival just for being near Alvania. Chancellor Beker certainly made his views about _me_ noticeably clear during my coronation, and we had ceased ties afterward. I know Beker and King Wilhelm didn't always get along, but that was the extent of my knowledge of their relations. I certainly had no idea he was planning something on this scale, otherwise I'd never have let Anna attend the festival!" She swallowed nervously and looked to the King. "You're the one to receive the formal news. What are his demands?"

Astor cleared his throat again, "There was no formal news from Oskberg. Queen Charlotte's sea captain managed to plow through the incoming blockade. From his retelling, it seemed the other vessels at port were boarded or attacked.

"But…" Olaf detached from the king and moved back through the study to stand beside Elsa. "How is Anna supposed to get home?"

Elsa turned to him with an equally worried glance. "I don't know, Olaf."

"Do you think she's alright?" He asked softly.

"I hope so. Anna is capable and strong—"

"—Unfortunately, no one truly knows what's transpired down there." Frederick said sharply as he turned, approached the others and rejoined the conversation. "But Viktor Beker's anti-monarchist views have been no secret. If he's invaded Rheland—whatever his reasons—there's a good assumption that he's stormed the castle by now and taken King Wilhelm prisoner. Whatever he wants, Rheland has it. Representatives from nearly every kingdom were all gathered in one place. Since it's clear no one's been allowed to leave, they too have some role to play in all of this."

Elsa's fingers drummed idly on the arms of her chair. Another small layer of frost formed when her skin made contact, but she managed to keep it from spreading further. "Do you think Beker would harm the others? They've done nothing to him. And I'm sure several of those men and women are from allied lands."

"It may not be about the individuals themselves, "Astor said, leaning forward in his seat, "But what they represent."

Elsa and Olaf exchanged puzzled glances, "…you mean as hostages?" She asked.

"They are direct links to their heads of state—Dukes, Lords, Princesses. _Queens_—" Astor explained, though his eyes shifted briefly to his brother for a moment to assess his state. He still appeared in control of his emotions. For now. "Even if they have no true power, they will certainly carry a heavy ransom when Beker comes calling."

"I see." The mere thought of Anna being degraded to nothing more than a bargaining chip made her stomach turn. She couldn't possibly fathom what Beker would want from her. Either of them.

Frederick crossed his arms over his chest, "if there's a shred of silver lining, it's that we are still a half-step ahead of Beker. He has yet to send his demands, therefore he probably assumes we are merely impatiently waiting for our loved ones to come home. We would have no reason to think anything out of the ordinary has transpired in Rheland. And a few late ships are hardly a cause for concern. It happens all the time. After all, how late is Princess Anna at this point?"

"A few days." Elsa replied softly, "And I'll be honest, I was beginning to worry about her absence before your arrival. I know my sister isn't always the most punctual, but my concerns were for other factors…" her voice trailed off as her mind instantly flashed back six years ago to the moment she learned about her parent's untimely death at sea. "…not kingdom take-overs."

"Then we'll at least have some time to prepare. No doubt we'll be receiving _something_ from Rheland soon." Astor said. "Beker's news won't come as that much of a shock now that we know a little of what's happened, so his demands will give us a clue how to proceed further."

"What do you plan to do in the meantime?"

"My navy has already been deployed to the southern waters. If Alvania decides to set sail, I want them stopped before they go too far into our northern region." Frederick replied sternly. "I will not allow my islands to suffer Rheland's fate."

"Do you really think Beker would spread this far?" She asked.

"I don't know." The king replied, "but I won't stand idly by and wait for when there's a canon firing on my ports. I suggest you prepare, too, Queen Elsa, to protect your lands and people."

Elsa frowned, "Arendelle doesn't have much in the way of armed forces. Only a small handful of naval ships; most of our army was eliminated during a tragic excursion involving King Runeard, my grandfather, far north beyond the mountains. I've enough soldiers to protect the castle and the main village here, but men will be spread thin to cover the rest of Arendelle's borders. I have only so many volunteers at my disposal." She sighed, "The Arendelle I've always known has been a peaceful kingdom, and that's what my people are used to. I'm not sure how well we would withstand a large-scale attack."

Astor tilted his head curiously, "You have vast magic, Your Majesty. Surely that can come as a great aide."

Elsa shook her head, "I can't use my magic to attack others. I… it's something I've done before." She frowned and shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "During the incident with the frozen summer, I viciously went after two men who tried to kill me. One, I pinned to a wall with icy spears ready to pierce right through his throat; the other…." She sighed, "I nearly ran off a high balcony with a moving barricade. The fall would most certainly have killed him. You see… my magic has ties to my emotions in a way. Fear… anger… it's easy to be overwhelmed in the heat of the moment and let my power consume rationale. I promised myself after the land thawed and I assumed some control over my magic that I would never put myself in that position—never use my powers that way again."

"But… surely after these years you've learned to control it." Astor suggested.

"…I have, but that doesn't make using it against others right."

"I can understand hesitance," Frederick said, "but these are not normal circumstances. Should Alvania continue to spread violence to other kingdoms, there is a good possibility that war could erupt throughout the realm. We must be prepared—and that means becoming comfortable with _the uncomfortable_. The fate of our lands, our very lives, and the lives of our loved ones could depend on it."

Elsa nodded slowly. This turn of events certainly gave her a lot to think about. This would certainly be a trying time for everyone. She watched as Frederick rubbed his temple with one hand and braced himself against the desk with the other. Her heart broke for the man, and she could easily imagine what he was going through. Charlotte was his entire world, just as Anna was hers. His receiving of the news no doubt shattered him completely. She too felt ready to snap and let her emotions get the better of her, but for her visitor's sake, she held it in, along with the bursts of magic and frigid air that were begging to be released. Her office could temporarily freeze out after they left.

_It's no wonder he looks so worn down. I imagine I'll be appearing just as restless as the next few days pass_… _constant worries over Anna, over everyone trapped in Rheland; and then wondering what Beker's next move will be._

"Can I get you a room, King Frederick?" She eventually asked, "You look terrible, and I'm sure you and your brother could use a break. We can continue this over dinner—"

"—thank you, no." Frederick shook his head, "Unfortunately, we won't be able to stay much longer. I'm too far gone for a decent rest. And not even a nap will help prepare me for what I have to do next. We're headed to Vallacia, and I have to inform King Argus about his daughter's fate." He took a deep breath. "No, I won't rest—not until Charlotte—" he sighed at the pointed look Astor shot him, "—_and Hans_—are safe at home." Straightening up, he held out his hand to her, and when she took it, he squeezed hers tightly. "Be cautious, Queen Elsa. Stay safe. We'll be meeting again soon, hopefully when a bit more knowledge lights our way."

* * *

Hans' blood ran cold as he stared at the notice board. Anna's image looked back at him and he couldn't tear his gaze away. _This… this is impossible…._ His fingers traced along the paper. _That's…_ Stupor gone, he immediately yanked open his satchel and pulled out his sketchbook. Along with the regular bound pages, his book had several loose papers folded and tucked inside the covers, and as soon as he unbuckled the cover and flung it open, those single sheets all fluttered to the ground. He picked them up one by one, dread increasing with each picture he mentally checked off his list. And then there were no more loose pages. He flipped through the book. Nothing.

_It… it fell out. It dropped in my room, and those bastards used it against us._

He locked the buckle and shoved the book back into his bag. It didn't take long for his heart to start racing. Just how many copies were posted throughout the city? How many people have gazed at Anna's image? Would they easily recognize her?

Without hesitation, Hans quickly tugged the page off the board and shoved it into his bag. He then whirled around and scanned the surrounding area for signs of Anna. The market square was getting a lot more crowded now.

"Marit?"

He stalked towards a large bulk of vendor carts and glanced around. That same soldier was on the far end of the block putting up another poster. He ducked his hands into his pockets as his hands flexed in and out of fists.

_We can't linger in this city. Damnit Anna, where the hell did you—_Suddenly, he spotted her slipping into a small clothing shop and hurried after her. Standing just outside the store, he took a deep breath and put on his bravest, most innocent face before stepping inside. It was a small shop, smaller on the inside than the exterior walls led to believe. Several other women were inside shopping as well, which made maneuvering around them and the display tables a bit difficult. Anna was towards the back corner of the store looking at gloves. Once he made it to her, he slipped his arm subtly around her waist. He felt her instantly tense up but once her head turned to the side and caught sight of him, she relaxed.

"I told you to stay close…" He whispered to her.

"I did!" She hissed, "This is still the market square. It's the first shop I went into!"

"And it'll be the last, too."

She huffed and elbowed him hard in the side. "You're no fun!" She picked up a light brown set and held them up for him to see. "What do you think about these?"

"You need gloves?"

Anna shrugged. "I didn't pack any. A-and it'll start getting colder soon—especially at nights." She said quietly, "I thought they'd help."

"Fine. Just be quick about it."

"Why? What's eating at you?"

He really didn't want to tell her about the wanted poster. If she knew there was an obvious hunt for her this soon, their rushing about and constantly looking over their shoulders could give away who they really were. There was no telling how many people would see her face plastered all over and pay attention enough to recognize her in a crowd. The whole point was to blend in, not put a target on their backs.

"Nothing. Just… don't linger, alright? I'll just wait outside."

Waiting for Anna gave him time to browse around the vendor carts for anything useful for their journey. Across the street from the feminine boutique was a large Tannery storefront. That certainly piqued his interest. He did promise Anna he'd look for a dagger's belt for her.

"G'day." The shopkeeper greeted Hans as he stepped through the threshold. "What can I do for ye?"

"Hello." Hans said and approached the main counter. "I was wondering if you'd have something sturdy that I could attach this to." He pulled his small sheathed dagger from his satchel. "A belt perhaps."

"Hmm…" The man took it gently from Hans and turned it over slowly in his hands. "I might. Lemme check the back." He set the dagger back down on the counter and ducked behind a curtained-off area.

In the meantime, Hans took the free time to look around. There were quite the variety of products for sale. He wandered over to a display table covered in different samples of leather when the door to the shop opened. On instinct, he turned his head towards the newcomer and instantly one corner of his mouth curved upwards. It was Anna, though she looked slightly different. Her hair was no longer cascading behind her back. It was wrapped and tucked up under a brand-new ivory and floral bonnet tied in a tidy bow under her chin. And her hands were now covered by the same pair of gloves that she showed him in the previous shop.

"Well well…" He said softly as she came up to him and grasped his arm gently. "I must say, I like the look."

"Do you?" She smiled wide and pat the side of her bonnet with her free hand. "I thought it framed my face just right."

He lowered his head down to whisper in her ear, "it's definitely an improvement than my cravat wrapped around your head. You look a bit more like a common wife now." Anna batted her eyelashes at him, and he let out a nervous chuckle, "should I be afraid how much this cost?"

"Nope."

"Are you going to _tell me_ how much?"

She giggled and shook her head.

"It's not becoming to keep secrets from your husband, you know."

"Oh, it's no secret." She replied. "It's just none of your business." Anna glanced around. "And what's this? I can't shop around but _you _can?"

"I'm getting a belt for your new dagger." Anna's lips formed an 'oh' as he gestured around the store. "If you need anything else from here, speak up now."

"I think I'm good." She said and let go of him to look around. It wasn't long after that the shopkeeper reemerged from the back area of the shop with a few different pieces in his hand.

"Well, sir, I foun—oh! G'day, Fräulein." He said with a quick nod to Anna, "I'll be right with ye."

"It's alright," Hans said as he returned to the counter with Anna by his side. "She's my wife."

"Ah." The man said and placed the pieces down on the counter for Hans to see. They were all rather long and heavy, most likely selected to fit someone of his own stature. Hans closely examined them. Any of them would serve the basic function he was looking for, but he really didn't want to have to take his knife and chop it down to fit Anna better.

"Anything a little smaller? Something to…." He waved a hand around, feigning a search for proper words, "something to fit my wife, perhaps?"

The shopkeeper briefly looked at Anna, confused. "A dagger belt… for yer wife?"

Hans could feel Anna's eyes on him now, too. He was hoping to avoid any unnecessary questions. Time to improvise. "She's been helping me with the family farm from time to time, and unfortunately has a terrible habit of dropping her tools; or leaving them in most unfortunate places." He sideways glanced to Anna before leaning closer to the shopkeeper, "She's a bit absent-minded."

"Hey…" Anna hissed quietly and elbowed him hard in the side.

"Well, if it's for yer lady, that changes things." The keeper took the selections back and set them aside on a workbench behind the counter, then came out and around to the far wall of the shop. He picked up looped belt off a narrow shelf and brought it back for Anna to see. It was much narrower than the original belts he showed Hans, and the buckle in the center had some carved decoration to it. "This is the plainest ladies' wear I've got. For farm work this might be a bit… delicate? But that clip o' yers would definitely slide onto this no problem."

Anna took it gently in her hands and ran her fingers over the metal buckle and the smooth leather. "May I try it on?" When the keeper nodded, she unhooked the closure and wrapped it around her waist. It fit well, and unlike when she tried to wear the scabbard belt, this didn't have too much excess material sticking off the side. With it secured tight enough for her liking, Hans reached across the counter for his dagger and clipped it down along the side of her hip.

"How's that feel?" He asked.

Anna glanced down and rest her hand on the dagger's hilt. The whole piece was a tad loose because of the belt's size, but it was still manageable. Hans noticed it too, and he even tried wiggling the dagger while she wore it to see how easily it would fall off. Surprisingly, it stayed put even with his rough tugging.

"I think this will work." Anna said and pushed Hans' hands away so she could take the belt off.

"How much for it?" Hans asked, taking the accessory from her and moving back towards the counter.

The shopkeeper returned to his post and pulled a sales ledger from a lower shelf. "Six coins."

When it seemed that Anna was going to reach into her satchel for her money, he grasped at her hands instead and subtly shook his head. "It's on me." He murmured to her before pulling out his coin sack.

The shopkeeper's voice got Hans' attention. "Now, how about a name?"

"…a name?" Anna asked.

The keeper glanced between them both. "I prefer to keep extensive records of everything I sell."

Hans sighed softly and cleared his throat. "Nikolai Wagner." He watched the gentleman scribble the information down on a very full page and prayed he didn't ask for any further personal information.

"You know something?" Anna said softly to him once they were back outside in the market square. "That was kind of fun!" She beamed and took his arm, "I miss being able to shop around."

"I didn't peg you to be a shopaholic."

Anna smiled, "Not always. But during the festival I had a grand ol' time going through all the markets." The smile started to fade as she leaned her head on his arm as they walked. "It seems like a lifetime ago…."

Hans moved his arm around her back as they walked. "It does… doesn't it?"

"Yeah…" She glanced up at him, "so what's going on? Why were you rushing me before?"

He glanced around the surroundings. It didn't appear that anyone was watching them, but just to be on the safe side, once they reached the street corner, he directed her to the left. The livery stables were on this street only a few blocks away. "I'll tell you once we get out of this place." He said quietly and quickened their pace only slightly. Suddenly appearing that they were hurrying out of town might draw too much attention. There was a soldier leaning casually against a lamp post up ahead and as they approached, he made sure to hold Anna a bit closer against his side. When she glanced up at him quizzically, he merely flashed her an adoring smile and traced a finger briefly down her cheek. "You know… that bonnet _really_ is quite becoming." He lowered his head closer to hers and practically purred in her ear, "I look forward to—" the rest he whispered so only she could hear.

Her eyes widened and it looked like she was trying to hide the horrified look on her face. _"Nikki_, what are—"

"Shh…" he immediately shushed her and then glanced over their shoulders briefly. "Relax," he whispered, "that was for the soldier's benefit."

"Like that's supposed to make me feel better?!" She growled at him.

"No, but I'm sure slapping me on the outskirts of town will."

"Hmmph! You got that right."

Hans smirked weakly. One of these days aggravating her would cost him—or at least, cost his _nose _dearly, but he didn't care. Teasing her, getting her flustered made them seem… normal; gave him a chance to get his mind off their constant impending danger.

He let out a sigh of relief when they crossed the final block to the stables. Soon they'd be out of this place and back in the relative safety of the forest where they could go back to arguing and being overall prickly towards each other. In truth, he was growing tired of their constant battles. True, some of them held actual merit with their conflicting personalities, but those were few and far between. He was starting to wonder if she was itching for a fight so often just to keep him at arm's length. He understood it, deep down; the desire to treat him as a nothing more than a means to an end. He wasn't her friend, only her guide. Her protector. Three years ago, he did her a terrible wrong and it still stung her deep down. But it stung him, too. And he felt the burn every time he tried to be amicable and she pushed him away. Still, even in this impossible situation, he wouldn't stop trying. This insane adventure could be the only chance he had to make things right. He just had to keep telling himself that.

"I'll wait out here." Anna said softly once they reached the stables.

"What's wrong, darling? Don't want to greet your glorious steed? I'm sure he misses you."

"It's barely been an hour." Anna rolled her eyes. "Just go pick them up, ya big lug."

The caretaker was surprised to see Hans back so early.

"Oh, my wife is rather tired. She wanted to shop, now she would rather lie down." Hans replied with a sigh. "You know how women can be."

The caretaker chuckled. "Absolutely. My wife is with child. She can't seem to keep her mind straight for five minutes." He walked Hans down to the stall where his horses were. "You got kids?"

Hans hesitated and briefly glanced towards the outer stable doors where Anna was waiting. The question caught him off guard, and he wasn't entirely sure why it bothered him so much. "I-no…. But we hope to someday." He eventually replied. He couldn't speak for Anna's personal views on the subject, so he answered with his own. Anna was the one tasked to come up with their marital details, so he hoped she wouldn't mind if he adlibbed this one aspect.

"They're wonderful." The caretaker replied with a smile as he opened the stall. "We're on our second now."

"Many congratulations to you then," Hans said politely as he took both horses by the reins. "And thanks again, for holding our horses."

"Anytime, friend. We'll be seeing you on your next trip into town."

As Hans led the horses outside, he glanced around and almost had a panic. Anna was nowhere near where he left her minutes before.

"Marit?" He called and moved closer to the road. Looking from one direction to the other, all he saw were pedestrians minding their own business; soldiers grouped outside of a tavern conversing with one another. His mind started to race. What if someone picked her up? He was only inside for a few minutes, but that may have been all the time someone needed to identify her and inform a soldier. His heart began to race as he walked a few steps down the road towards the edge of town.

Then he spotted her. She was walking along the far wall of the stables out of sight from the townspeople, until she stopped to lean against a large tree. She kept her gaze down towards the grass as she rubbed her arms. If he didn't know better, he'd say she looked a little uncomfortable. Did she happen to catch sight of one of those posters?

"Marit!"

The sound of his voice perked her up and she immediately turned and hurried to him. To his surprise, she threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. "Nikki…"

He wrapped his free arm around her as his mind raced. Her sudden surge of affection made him incredibly suspicious—cover or no. "Did you miss me that much?" He could feel her shaking her head against him.

"Don't get the wrong idea." She whispered. "I'm just playing up our ruse—"

"—in that case, would you like me to kiss you?"

"Try it and I'll _kill you."_

He chuckled briefly and pulled back to get a better look at her. She was frowning and trying to stealthily look around him. "What is it? What's wrong? Why were you hiding all the way back here?"

She bit her lip and traced her fingertips down the front of his coat, "when I was waiting before, a few people were staring."

He groaned internally. This was exactly what he was hoping to avoid. "Who?"

"I dunno…" Anna turned away and glanced back down the street. "There were some men just looking really hard in this direction for a while from that street corner there. One gestured to me, then pointed off in some other direction. Then the other disappeared."

Hans followed her gaze. That spot in particular was vacant now, but it didn't mean the threat was over. With a new sense of urgency, he led her to her horse and helped her mount. "C'mon, dear. Let's go home."

"Home…" she nodded and flicked the reins. Her horse started off down the street as he mounted his. He took one brief glance over his shoulder to make sure no one was coming up behind them as he set off after Anna.

Once they were further down the road, she pulled her horse up alongside his. "So… what was the rush? Why did we have to leave almost as soon as we arrived in Heidelberg?"

Hans sighed and dug into his satchel for the poster. "A soldier was putting these up all over the city just as we arrived.

She took the paper and stared at it. Her jaw instantly dropped as she stared at her own artistic image. "How… how is this possible? I mean… where did this come from?"

Hans took a deep breath. He didn't have the heart to tell her that that paper only existed because of his own carelessness. And lying to her wasn't a path he wanted to go down. Which option was worse?

"It seems Viktor Beker will go to no end to get you back." Hans said reluctantly and kept his gaze forward, "That paper you're holding… he made that from a sketch found in _my_ room."

She immediately tugged the reins to a stop and glared at him. "_Excuse me?_" Her eyes darted from the page to the back of his head, "Stop riding! Please…."

When Hans stalled his horse and turned around to look at her, he expected her to have a furious expression to match the anger in her voice. Instead, she only stared at the page. Her fingers grazed over her picture slowly, her mouth agape as she tried to process everything.

"How… how are we supposed to travel now?" She asked quietly, "everyone in that town has my face…."

"…and most likely in other cities throughout the country as well, by the time we reach them." Hans replied.

"W-why…" Anna shook her head. "Why do we have such terrible luck?" Unable to look at the paper anymore, she quickly folded it up and tucked it into her dress pocket.

"Well, we are fugitives…."

"Hans," She sighed, "How are we supposed to go on? If we can't go into the cities, how will we replenish our food or supplies? Where will we sleep?"

Hans thought over their predicament for a moment. She did have a point. Some necessary moments of relief for them have come from visiting villages, not just for more food. They spent the night in Greja, and Anna did have a point just days ago about how sleeping in a real bed for a whole night was beneficial over forever napping on the forest floor. And there'd no doubt be a time where a timed village visit would also replenish his weaponry, too. Eventually, he would run out of bullets. Stealing from every soldier they incapacitate worked for now but would only get them so far in the long run.

"I suppose it's a good thing that you're the only one mentioned on that postage." Hans eventually replied. "Perhaps you have to limit yourself in the cities, but I don't have to."

"So, you're suggesting leaving me out in the woods while you go scavenging? How is that safe?"

"I didn't say it was." He retorted, "the only other alternative we have is to avoid civilization altogether—an option I don't recommend." Hans ran a hand through his hair. "We'll just have to be a lot more careful going forward. You especially, will have to keep your interactions with people at a minimum; and no more leaving my side."

Anna groaned loudly. "Wonderful. I suppose this couldn't get any worse though."

_I wish she didn't say that…._ He frowned. _There's plenty of ways that it _can_._

Before he could even come up with a reply, an arrow whizzed right between the two of them and landed itself in a tree up ahead. Anna let out a frightful shriek and they both immediately whirled around. There were two cavalrymen coming up the road behind them; one with a sword drawn, the other with a crossbow aimed right at them.

_Well shit, it just got worse._

"T-that was fast!" Anna cried and looked to Hans widened eyes.

"You're telling me!" He groaned and flicked the reins hard to get the horse moving. "Ride. _Now!_"

Hans swore under his breath as they raced down the road. He had been so careful this entire time, and just now he allowed himself to be so absorbed in Anna and her worries that he completely missed the sounds of hooves approaching. They could have had the chance to get out of sight. Albeit a _small_ one based on how quickly the Heidelberg soldiers caught up, but a chance, nonetheless. He glanced over his shoulder briefly. The one soldier was balancing the reins and the crossbow as he loaded another arrow. The other with only the sword was catching up a little faster.

This time, he heard the arrow fire. It must have brushed closer to Anna this time because he could hear her whimpering as she leaned as flat as she could get on the horse's back.

_We need to get off this road. But there's also the risk of losing Anna in the woods. We can't get separated again, for her sake. I can't speak for these men and their motives, but I _won't_ put Anna in that position again._

While his mind raced in coming up with a plan, his hands went towards his hip. They fumbled in trying to get the pistol out of the holster. He didn't exactly prepare the weapon before entering Heidelberg, so he prayed there were enough bullets to get the job done. His extra rounds were buried in the supply saddle pack and there was no way to get to them.

He managed to get a shot off. Unfortunately, when he looked back over his shoulder, it was clear his aim was off. Either soldier had yet to falter.

"Hans…" she called to him suddenly and motioned with her head forward. There was a fork in the road up ahead.

"Turn right." Hans told her. They were following the same road that they took to reach Heidelberg originally, and he distinctly remembered that turning _left_ would have eventually led them back towards the Rheland border. Without his map or compass for guidance, he would have to trust that the right path would somehow get them to safety.

The horses veered off the main road, and he readied his pistol for when the soldiers' horses would make the same turn after them. He fired again, this time getting the small satisfaction of the bullet hitting the man's crossbow. It splintered and broke from his hands. It wasn't the result he was hoping for, but at least they weren't in immediate danger of being shot in the back anymore.

Unless they also were armed with pistols. There was that.

Before he could even register, Anna suddenly veered her horse in front of him and to the extreme right into the trees. It took him an extra few second to follow after. "What are you doing?" He shouted while trying to catch up.

"Trying not to get caught!" She shouted back, "or y'know… _die!_"

"And I'm trying not to get separated from you!"

"Well how about _we_ get separated from _them!_" She gripped onto the horse tighter as it maneuvered through the trees.

Up ahead, he could see the trees thinning out. Anna was headed for an open field. And he thought the roadway was bad. But Anna was ahead of him, so he was forced to follow her lead and pray she didn't steer them right into some ambush.

Hans tried to get a better view behind him. The soldiers were gone. He didn't get his hopes up, though. There was no way they lost them that quickly. He and Anna really weren't that lucky.

"Do you see them?" She called.

"No!"

"Oh good!" She started to straighten back up on the horse as they broke through the tree line.

"Keep going—don't stop." He warned her. "They could still—"

Anna's sudden scream silenced him. The soldiers had cut them off and flanked them on each side. The one to her left was the disarmed crossbowman. With his hands free, he leapt from his horse and tackled Anna off of hers. His arms were completely around her as he took the brunt of the fall. Once on the ground, they ended up rolling through the tall grass.

"Anna!" Hans called out to her and then looked immediately to his right. The swordsman was getting close to him, and either he'd get slashed across the chest or he'd find himself knocked to the ground, too. Hans whipped his pistol arm around to fire, but the man snatched his wrist and aimed the weapon into the air as it fired.

Another shot wasted. He felt trapped. He couldn't even fathom getting to Anna until he got this soldier off his back. Before he could give the man time to even consider another move, Hans pulled his right foot from his stirrup and leveled an awkward but hard kick into the horse's side. The animal lost its balance and faltered. Hans yanked the reins, jumped off his own horse, and raised his weapon to fire on his assailant.

No shot. No more bullets.

Cursing under his breath, he glanced over to Anna. She had managed to break free of her captor and was running all over the open field. At least she had distance between her and the soldier. He must have injured himself in the fall because he was struggling after her. Footsteps were coming up behind him, and he had just enough time to draw his sword to cross blows with his soldier. The man was decently skilled with the blade, and Hans was immediately put on the defensive.

"Stand down." He growled as he pushed his weight into Hans. "It's not you we want. Only the fräulein."

Hans gritted his teeth and braced himself for another blow, "over my dead body."

The soldier sneered, "that can be arranged." Removing one hand from his sword, the soldier reached for his hip. That's when Hans noticed a holster hidden among the other pouches strapped to his belt.

"Not if I end you first." Hans jammed his sword down hard onto his opponent's, and it gave him the briefest window. He swung his boot up right into the man's groin. Once he doubled over onto his knees, Hans slammed the hilt of his sword down onto the man's skull. The instant he was down on the ground, Hans kicked the sword away and snatched up the man's pistol before he could get his hands on it. Hans aimed it right at the man's back for several seconds, then lowered his arm to his side.

"…I'd rather kill you and save myself the trouble later," He muttered under his breath, "…but I made her a promise. Don't make me regret the decision." He turned his back to the unconscious man and searched the field for Anna as he caught his breath. She was a good distance away, but she was coming back towards him. Her eyes shifted between his general direction and where her own assailant was stumbling in the grass. He was clutching his side. Hans wanted to assume it was because he was hurt, but if the unconscious soldier had a hidden pistol, there was a good chance this one did too, and he could be reaching for it. But with his eyes on the soldier, he completely missed Anna's sudden freeze and her expression turn to one of utter horror.

"OHMYGODWATCHOUT!"

In his extreme peripheral vision, Hans saw shadows hovering behind him, but there wasn't any time to react. Just as he started to turn, a loud shot was fired. There was a sharp pain in the back of his head. He could only hear Anna shrieking as he collapsed into the grass, and everything went black.


	17. Kranz Farm

Anna was roused from sleep by something wet and rough rubbing against her fingertips. She stirred slowly, opened her eyes and squinted as she looked around. This environment was new and alarming. She now found herself laying in a bed of hay surrounded by the wooden walls of a barn. That wasn't where she was expecting. From what she could recall, she was running all over an open field with a soldier on her tail.

There was a soft mew coming from her left and she slowly sat up and turned her head downwards. There was a large brown and grey cat sitting next to her sniffing at her hand. The cat's nose was cool and damp. Anna deduced it was licking her fingers when she woke up, and she allowed it to sniff her further before she stroked the feline's head gently.

Once the cat scampered away to the far side of the barn, Anna took the opportunity to get a better look around. On the opposite side was a closed off chicken coop. Piles of hay filled an upper loft, and there were several stalls lining one side wall. As far as she could tell, she was alone with only the animals to keep her company. The farmer—whoever he or she was- was nowhere to be found.

Also, obviously missing, was Hans—

_HANS!_

Her heart thumped hard in her chest as she suddenly jumped to her feet and searched every inch of the barn for any sign of her companion. Panic started rising in her chest. The last time she saw him, the one soldier got the drop on him. She never managed to make it to his side to see if he was alright. There were so many gunshots going off. Hans' attacker fell to the ground not long after the prince, and her own assailant rounded back on her before he too was fired upon. A bullet got him in the head and she distinctly remembered a disgusting amount of blood spray and matter scattering in the air.

_I must've fainted at the sight._ She frowned. _I didn't think I had such a weak constitution, but I guess this whole ordeal is really taking its toll._

Shaking yet another gross image from her mind, she tried to focus. There was still the matter of finding Hans. There was no sign of him ever being in the barn, however a small bit of relief washed over her as she approached the horse stalls. Both of their horses were there, although nearly all of the equipment packs Hans' steed carried were missing. That aspect didn't really bother her. She was still wearing her satchel, and that had all of her important possessions.

_If our horses are here, maybe Hans is too, somewhere. Unless… unless he's…_ She couldn't bring herself to finish the morbid thought, and she didn't need to either. As she stared off at the horses, the barn door opened and then an elder woman came inside with a basket hanging in the crook of her elbow.

"Ah, I see you're awake," the woman said and announced her presence to Anna. The sudden noise made the princess jump and she retreated back a few steps. The woman immediately held up her hands to show peace, "It's alright, dear. You're safe now."

Anna eyed the woman curiously and cautiously, "W-who are you? Where am I?"

"My name is Gertrude Kranz," the woman said, "You're on our farm."

"Our?"

"Mine and my husband's." Gertrude explained. "He's out in the field right now. Heinrich is the one who found you."

…_Well, that explains who fired on those soldiers…._

The older woman continued when it seemed Anna was at a loss for words, "The field you were in is part of our land. One of your horses burst through the tree line while I was out tending to the harvest. Heinrich grabbed his rifle as soon as the screaming started."

Anna turned slightly pink. She didn't realize her voice carried that far but was never more thankful that it did. If these farmers never came to her rescue, who knew where she would be, or in what state. And Hans—

_Oh god…_

"Please…" Anna stepped forward, "there was a man with me—m-my husband. Is he here, too?"

The woman nodded and angled her basket downwards towards Anna to show off the used medical supplies inside, "I just finished tending to him."

"Is he alright?" Anna asked. She could see some red stains on one of the rags and her mind started racing.

"Oh, he had a pretty bad bump to the head, bit he'll recover just fine." She tilted her head to the side, "What's your name?"

"An—" She stopped herself just in time and tried to hide the embarrassed look from the slip. "M-Marit. Marit Wagner."

"Well, Marit. I'm sure you're dying to see your husband."

…_yeah, but not the way you're probably thinking._

Anna nodded and clasped her hands together as she followed the farmer's wife out of the barn and into the house. It was much later in the day than she thought. The sun was already starting to set. It made her wonder just how long she had been out.

The farmhouse had an extremely cozy feel even though it wasn't an exceptionally spacious home. There was a large fireplace on one wall with chairs and a sofa nearby. The kitchen and dining area were what took up the largest amount of common living space. Anna followed Gertrude around to a narrow staircase going up to the second floor. At the top of the stairs was a hallway with two doors and a curtained off area. Gertrude moved down to the door at the far end of the corridor, quietly opened it, and stepped aside so Anna could enter.

The room was small, but not nearly as claustrophobic as the inn bedroom back in Greja. A tall wardrobe, a mirror leaning against one wall, and a bed flanked by two end tables were the main fixtures scattered about. Once her gaze fell on Hans, it immediately softened. He was laying atop the bedding looking incredibly disheveled. His boots were off, as well as his great coat. Another quick scan of the room showed his missing garments, as well as his waistcoat draped on a wooden chair tucked away in one corner. The first few buttons of his shirt were left open and his arms were draped over his stomach. His hair, from what was visible, was incredibly tousled. There were wrappings covering the left side of his head; his eyes were closed, and Anna wasn't sure if he was unconscious or asleep.

_Hans…._

Anna walked over to the bed and perched herself on the edge of the mattress near his waist.

"What's his name?" Gertrude asked softly as she stood off near the foot of the bed.

Anna had to stop herself from calling him by his true name. she already nearly slipped up with her own. The last thing she needed was this woman getting suspicious. "Nikki—err, Nikolai." She answered and reached over to trace a finger down his cheek.

"He's certainly a handsome man."

_I guess if you're into scruffy faces._ Anna forced a smile and turned back to Gertrude. "Thank you for caring for him. I… I was so worried."

"What happened?" Gertrude asked. "Why were those men chasing you through our land?"

"Well, we _were_ on the road and only ducked through the woods to get rid of them. I didn't know your farm was here, honest."

"But why were they after you?"

Anna hesitated. She would have to be incredibly careful what to say. Giving away anything about her and Hans being fugitives would not do well. But as Hans told her once before, she was not that great of a liar. "We were just traveling along the road when this regiment passed by us." She said, pulling from the violent ordeal the other day. At least there was some aspect of truth to this story. Hopefully, that made it believable enough _today_. "A few of them decided to double back and stop us. H—Nikki managed to get rid of two of them, but these last two…" she visually shuddered. "if your husband didn't come when he did…" There was an uncomfortable pause, "All they wanted was a chance at a good time, if you get my meaning."

Gertrude studied Anna for what seemed like an eternity before nodding and answering, "How awful that they put you through such ordeals. But I can't say that I'm surprised."

Anna blinked. It wasn't the answer she was expecting, and Gertrude made it seem like she was familiar with the soldier's behavior. "What do you mean?"

The woman shook her head, "never mind about that now."

Anna glanced back to Hans. "How long do you think he'll be out?"

"Probably not too much longer. He came around while I was treating him, but he didn't fully wake. But no matter how long it takes for him to get back on his feet, you're welcome to stay."

Anna's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what? Just like that, you'll let us stay?" Gertrude nodded. "But… but we're strangers."

Gertrude smiled warmly and moved to sit beside Anna. "If you tell me about yourself, then you won't be."

Anna looked at her cautiously, "Are you always this trusting?"

"Call it my woman's intuition." She raised an eyebrow with a particularly amused expression across her face, "Why, is there a reason why I shouldn't trust you?"

"N-no!" Anna exclaimed and waved her hands dismissively. "It's just… I think you're the first person to be so openly kind to us. Ever."

Gertrude sighed, "Well, if everyone was a little kinder to their neighbors, this country would be a far nicer place." She shook her head and then reached over to pat Anna's hand. "C'mon, Marit. What's your story? Where are you from?"

"Well—"

"And don't tell me you're a local. I can easily tell by your dialect and the way you and your husband were dressed that you're not from around these parts."

"No, we're not." It was all Anna could manage to say in the moment. This was the time she was dreading—having to come up with a convincing cover story. Hans gave her the freedom to come up with whatever she wanted, but she still hadn't given it much thought. There was just too much going on for her to focus on something so trivial.

_Well, it's not so trivial anymore…._

"We're… we're from Corona." Anna eventually replied, "We live with his family." She forced a sigh, "This was supposed to be like a post honeymoon for us. We saved up for so long just for the boat fare to travel to Rheland. We went to the Fall Harvest Festival."

"Oh? How was it? That event has graced our newspapers when it first began."

Anna smiled. "It was a lot of fun! And we really needed the getaway. This was our first time away from home since we married."

"You're both quite young. How long have you been together?"

"Three years." Anna replied. _Might as well make this story as realistic to our history as possible…._ "We met at a party my parents were hosting. It was kind of by accident. We more or less crashed into each other. He was so nice, so charming. It was love at first sight—I know, that probably sounds silly, but it's true. He only courted me for a few weeks before asking for my hand. I never met someone so caring and affectionate in my entire life."

Gertrude smiled. "What does he do? Is he a soldier? I've never seen a man so heavily armed without a uniform."

Anna bit her lip and glanced briefly to Hans. "Um, no. he's not. We kind of just acquired most of his toys on our way." Her fingers traced lightly over his hand, "Nikki's got a thing for weaponry. He's very protective." She turned back to Gertrude and continued to sell their story. As the minutes went by, Anna grew so engrossed in the tale that she didn't even notice nor feel movement behind her.

Suddenly, a hand cupped under her chin and turned her head to the side. Before she could even register what was happening, lips were gently pushed onto hers. Her eyes immediately widened in surprise. She didn't expect Hans to awaken so suddenly and kiss her no less. Her first instinct was to slap him for taking liberties, but as her hands slid up his shirtfront so she could push him away, she was suddenly very aware that Gertrude was still beside her, no doubt watching them embrace. So instead of lashing out, she humored Hans and let her eyes close for the duration of the kiss. It wasn't a forceful nor passionate kiss which worked well enough for her. Hans was only putting forth minimal effort to keep it going, and she easily got the impression that the whole thing was for show, not personal satisfaction. Still, she was furious that he would even consider pulling a move like that without asking first.

Luckily, she didn't have to stew too long. Hans broke the kiss off not long after it began, and once he pulled his head back, he stroked her cheek with a trembling hand and gazed at her with immense relief and adoration in his eyes. His eyes never left hers. Gertrude Kranz was ignored entirely.

There was a soft clearing of the elder woman's throat as she rose from the bed. "I think I'll give you a few minutes to yourselves. I'll be back." With that, she quickly went for the door and closed it quietly behind her.

That was Anna's cue. She wasted no time in roughly slamming her hands into Hans' chest and sending him back against his pillow.

"_What. Did. You. Think. You. Were. Doing_?!" She seethed at him, emphasizing every bitter word.

Hans let out a painful groan at his impact. One of his hands immediately went to cradle the back of his head. In his landing, part of his head missed the pillow and knocked into the wooden footboard, and for a brief moment, he closed his eyes tight and took in a deep breath while the sudden surge of pain subsided. "…playing along?" he bit out quietly as he reopened his eyes, "It seemed rather obvious to me."

"…what?!"

"You're the one who said I was a caring and affectionate lover!"

Her face immediately flushed. "I never said _lover_.

"I'm your _husband_, darling. The term is implied."

"Hmmph." She crossed her arms over her chest. His casual use of the pet name didn't do anything to help her face lose the embarrassed shade of pink. _He _would_ have used that moment to wake up._ "Just how much of all that did you hear?"

"Most of it, actually." He admitted while trying to prop himself up on his pillow better. "I was only sleeping."

"Why not wake yourself up sooner?"

"Because you were doing your job and I didn't want to interrupt." He replied as a curious look worked its way onto his face, "So… a stable-hand with a thing for weaponry and a hero complex?" He chuckled, "I like that."

She couldn't resist rolling her eyes. "I'm glad you approve. I had to come up with _something_." Not sure what else to say, she averted her gaze down to her lap and let her fingers fidget with the fabric of her dress.

"You did well." He complimented after a brief silence and then reached over to nudge her gently. "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm fine, just bothered, I guess."

"Look, if it's about that kiss—"

"—No." She interrupted, "It's not that. I mean, yes, I'm peeved at you, but that's…" she took another deep breath to better gather her thoughts. "…I watched another man die today. It wasn't exactly a pleasant sight."

He sighed. "I'm sorry. I know that's uncomfortable for you." He shifted slightly. "What happened?"

"The farmer shot him—both men, actually." She fidgeted uncomfortably, "I guess I saw them both die; not just the one after me."

Hans' hand went to the back of his head where it hurt the most. "…I wasn't shot. Well, I suppose that's obvious now. I doubt I'd be alive otherwise."

"The soldier struck you with the hilt of his sword. A-and then he was killed afterwards." She sighed softly, "Apparently we were trespassing on these people's land. Thank goodness we were. Gertrude and her husband saved our lives." She gave Hans a pointed look, "Be sure to thank her when she comes back."

He raised his brow. "Why wouldn't I?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just sayin'."

"Don't worry. You know that I'm a perfect gentleman."

Anna would have snorted in response but while he was talking, there was a soft knock at the door. Gertrude had returned. This time, instead of coming back into the room, she remained at the doorway, only poking her head in briefly.

"Frau Wagner, I have some stew cooking downstairs for you and your husband if you're hungry."

"Oh! Yes, thank you!" Anna smiled warmly to the woman. "We'll be down in a few minutes." Once Gertrude was gone, she got up from the bed and went to retrieve Hans' boots. "Are you well enough to go down?"

He sat upright and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I think so. Throbbing headache aside, I think I'm fine."

"Good." Anna handed him his footwear and then reached under her chin to remove her bonnet. Her face immediately fell at the sight of it. The sides of it were already marred with dirt, and the front arch was a tad misshapen—no doubt from when the soldier tackled her to the ground. "Well this certainly didn't last long." She sighed and tossed the headwear onto the chair. When she turned back around to Hans, he was already up and moving around the bed towards the door. A few steps in, he stumbled a bit to the right. His hands went out to grasp onto the short bedpost for support. "Oh my gosh are you alright?" She asked and rushed to his side.

"Apparently I'm a little dizzy." He mumbled and gestured for her to go down first. "You go ahead. I'll need you to catch me if I fall."

Luckily for her, Hans made it down in one piece. She was certain he was joking, but the way he was walking, she was genuinely afraid she would have to actually do it. And breaking his fall would probably have broken her in the process.

The common living area smelled so good. Gertrude was standing by the hot stove stirring the contents in a large stockpot when Anna helped Hans to one of the dining chairs. Once he seemed settled, she walked over to the woman and took a peek inside the cookware.

"That smells wonderful!" Anna smiled, "Is there anything I can give you a hand with?"

"Oh no. Go sit down. Everything will be ready in a moment."

Anna retreated and took a seat beside Hans. It was only a few minutes later when two very full bowls of vegetable stew were set in front of them. On her second trip to the table, Gertrude brought over a large breadbasket.

"Aren't you going to eat, too?" Anna asked as she picked up her utensils. The elder woman made no move to serve a third bowl. Instead, she went back and adjusted pot on the stove and tidied up a few spills she made.

"Not right now. I'll wait for Heinrich so that he won't have to eat alone."

"Where is he? Is he still outside?" Anna asked. In her journey from the barn into the house, she didn't see anyone else around.

"He might be a while longer. Before I came to retrieve you, Marit, he returned to the farm. He said he needed a shovel."

"…a…shovel?" Anna briefly glanced to Hans as she took in another forkful of stew.

Hans learned over and whispered in her ear. "He's digging."

"Digging what?" She whispered back. The pointed look he sent her suddenly told her everything she needed to know. She swallowed nervously and set her fork back into her bowl.

"You're awfully quiet, young man." Gertrude said and flashed him a warm smile.

Hans set his fork down, "I was enjoying the meal. It's been a long time since we've had such a hearty supper." He offered a small smile in return. "Thank you for being so generous to us."

"It's only right to help those in need." Gertrude replied and came over to the table. She took a seat across from Hans. "How is your head?"

"It hurts." Hans said honestly, "but it'll pass. I'm sure a good night's sleep will help."

"Indeed, it will." Gertrude agreed. "As I've told Marit earlier, you may stay on our farm for however long it takes for you to heal.

"Oh." Hans briefly glanced to Anna. "We wouldn't want to impose."

"It's no bother. I enjoy having house guests. My children are all grown and have… moved on. It's nice to talk with people aside from Heinrich."

"Perhaps…" Anna began. She smiled, placed a hand over Hans' and smiled to Gertrude, "perhaps we could be of some help during our stay? A-as a way of saying thanks?"

"Well…"

"—Please." Anna pleased. "It's the least we could do."

Gertrude thought it over for a moment, "Well, since you're so eager, perhaps you can assist me with the morning chores while Heinrich goes into town?"

"Sure! Okay!" Anna nodded enthusiastically. "When should I start?"

"Don't worry. I'll come for you first thing in the morning."

Hans glanced between the two women. "What about me?"

"_You_ will rest." Gertrude said with just enough edge in her voice to get her point across.

* * *

Anna rubbed at the ends of her long locks with her towel as she pulled back the curtain separating the washtub area from the upstairs corridor. The bath felt wonderful—not just because she was now clean, but because she actually took her time enjoying it. She didn't have to worry about Hans waiting for her. He took his first. For the first time since their journey began, Anna was truly able to relax and feel safe.

She ran her fingers through her hair afterwards to make sure it was dry enough as she crossed the hall to her bedroom. Eager for a good night's sleep, she placed her hand on the doorknob and slowly turned it.

_With luck, Hans will have already fallen asleep._

Hans' head turned in her direction the instant she stepped inside. He looked comfortable, at least. He was propped slightly on his pillow, but this time he was buried under the blankets. When her eyes met his, she only sighed. He looked exhausted.

"Why are you still awake?" She asked softly and draped her towel on the chair in the corner of the room.

"I was waiting for you."

"You didn't have to do that."

He shrugged lightly. "I wanted to. And besides, I bet you would have woken me up anyway once you came to bed."

"Hey, I know how to be quiet." She countered and pulled back the blankets on her half of the bed. Even before getting in, she could tell this would be a better night than the one spent in Greja. The bed was actually big enough for both of them, and the mattress or bed frame didn't creak or squeak when Hans shifted around on it earlier.

"I was referring to you just moving about."

"Oh." She slipped her legs under the sheets and fluffed her pillow. That was soft, too. Even better! Just as she got settled comfortably on her side, Hans pushed off from his pillow, leaned forward and started to pull the rest of the bedding halfway up her chest.

"Are you warm enough?" he asked once he finished tucking her in.

She nodded and glanced down the bed. "Were there always so many blankets on here?"

"Frau Kranz came in while you were in the bath. Apparently, this room gets drafty at night."

She sighed. "Wonderful."

"Don't worry. Between all these layers and our joined body heat, I'm sure you won't even notice."

"…joined body heat?" Anna looked at him skeptically.

Hans angled himself towards her, "like it or not, we have to play-house for several days. And I seem to recall being your caring and affectionate husband."

_He would decide to focus on that one stupid detail. Why am I not surprised?_ Her expression started to falter when her mind flashed to earlier that day. "Um yeah… about that…." She paused to choose her words carefully. "Please don't kiss me anymore. It's uncomfortable… and painful."

His brow furrowed slightly. "Painful how? I haven't hurt you."

_Maybe not today… but every kiss you try giving me now only reminds me of the one you refused me years ago. And no stupid cover can erase that._

"I don't want to discuss it. Just… just keep your lips off mine." She said quietly and shifted against her pillow. "Please. That's all I ask. You can be the charming man of affection in other ways."

"What about hands?" He reached over and gently took one of hers. "You weren't ready to punch me earlier in town when I did that."

Her eyes narrowed and she let out a loud sigh, "You're pushing your luck."

"It's what husbands do." He replied with a coy smile.

"…fine. I'll make that compromise. But I'm warning you now. _Nowhere else_."

She wasn't sure if he did it to prove a point or to make her mad, because as soon as she agreed to the terms, he took their joined hands and placed a soft kiss onto her skin. "Deal." He met her gaze briefly and shrank his head back slightly. "Are you really still mad at me for earlier?"

Anna glared at him for a good minute just to make him uncomfortable, then softened her gaze as she shrugged her shoulders. "Should I be?"

"Roleplay aside…" he said softly, "I really was relieved to see you, to know you were alright. The last thing I remembered, you were screaming, and I was convinced some bastard shot me. That's not exactly a reassuring memory."

"…well, I suppose I can't fault you for that." She wiggled her hand from his grasp and fluffed her pillow again. She couldn't help but notice his gaze lingered on her for longer than she wanted. There was a strange look to him, as if he were expecting her to say something. She couldn't imagine what he could have wanted from her, but it soon became apparent for him that whatever it was, it would remain unsaid. There was a brief flash of disappointment on his face before he shifted to his other side to blow out the candle on his bedside table.

"It's late." He said once the room went dark. "Goodnight."

Even with the room darkened, she could still make out his silhouette as he rolled onto his back again and rested his left arm up on the pillow just beyond his head. There was definitely hurt in his voice when he spoke, and while she really wanted to dismiss it as him wanting sleep or him being irritated by his injury, there was a small part of her that wanted to get to the bottom of this. Knowing her luck, she wouldn't get any sleep if her subconscious was fretting over Hans all night.

"Hey…" she said softly and reached her hand back over to gently nudge his chest. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

_You certainly don't sound it._ Anna frowned. She tried to replay their entire conversation in her mind from the moment she came back from the bath. There wasn't all that much said between them, and he didn't seem so put out earlier once she slipped into bed. What happened in the last two minutes to make him upset? What did she say?

Or… what _didn't_ she say?

"Did it even faze you that I was hurt?" He eventually asked.

She blinked in surprise and glanced to his chest where her hand was still laying. One of his hands found hers and was fiddling mindlessly with her fingers. _Well, if he's going to get right to the problem, all the easier to solve it._

"Of course, it did." Anna replied softly. "When I came around in the barn and you weren't there, I was worried! I didn't know what became of you if you were alright or even alive. For all I knew, you were dead."

"You had a strange way of showing relief."

"Is that what's bothering you? That I didn't express myself to your standards?"

"Well it's hard to understand properly when you go and aggravate my head injury."

"What did you think I would do when you suddenly kissed me?"

The quietest scoff escaped his lips and his hand suddenly pushed hers off his chest and back to her pillow. "I wasn't referring to the kiss." He replied a bit shortly and let out a loud sigh. "Though, it seems that's all _you_ seem to care about."

"What then?"

There was a brief period of silence. "…I don't want to have to spell it out for you."

"But—"

"_Go to sleep, Anna_."

Her eyes widened and she glanced briefly towards the door. She could have scolded him for using her real name, but he was already mad enough at her as it was. As she shifted to a more comfortable position, she laid there and stared off at the ceiling wondering what she could have possibly done until sleep eventually claimed her.

* * *

Queen Charlotte's jaw quivered as she paced about in her bedchamber. This was the first time in days that she didn't feel sick to her stomach, but the nauseous waves were replaced with different feelings of anxiety, dread and horror. Her sudden bout of illness couldn't have come at a worse time. The greater portion of the week had come and gone, and she had learned absolutely nothing. The only plan she had come up with originally was to try and closer to Viktor Beker. He seemed focused on her at first, and she thought perhaps she could use that to some advantage. But then that interrogation in the study led to her falling ill, and everything only worsened from there. Not that she really wanted to be around the Chancellor in the first place, but once the bed rest started, Beker stopped coming in. Not even the minion officers made appearances. The only person admitted into her chamber was Agatha. At least hers was a friendly face.

Agatha had been her sole support. At her worst times, the lady's maid was always at her side. Charlotte wasn't sure she could have endured the last several days without her beloved friend's help. Not only did Agatha keep her health in check, but she relayed what little gossip there was circulating down in the servant's wing.

Charlotte stopped to lean against the chaise as she felt her stomach take a turn. It wasn't anywhere near as violent as some of her previous episodes, but it was enough to stop her movements for a short period. Her hand went to her stomach and she took a few deep breaths. In between waves, she glanced over her shoulder. If she really bolted, she could probably make it to the chamber pot in time.

"And here I was hoping today would be better…" she sighed.

There was a soft knock on the door, the sound of a key fumbling in the lock, and suddenly the door swung open. When Charlotte glanced over, she got a quick view of the stationed soldier in the hall as he moved aside to let Agatha enter. The elder woman had a small tray in her hands that contained a bowl of soup and a few slices of bread. The moment the door closed, Agatha's eyes widened at seeing her mistress up and about and she quickly set the tray on the nearest table surface.

"Your Majesty!" She exclaimed, "you should be in bed!"

Charlotte waved the woman off and swallowed hard. "I couldn't lay there any further. It's bad enough I've got more rounds of it in my future. I want to savor my mobility while I still can."

"Are you feeling better then? The retching has stopped?"

Charlotte shrugged. "I thought so, up until the last few minutes, at least.

Agatha walked over and gently pressed her hand to the queen's forehead. "You don't feel ill. Not like before."

Charlotte moved away from her maid to peek out through the window. "Hopefully, this is the last of it. I'm tired of sleeping and retching."

"I brought some soup…" Agatha gestured to the tray, "Are you hungry?"

"I think the real question is, can I keep it down?"

"Milady, only you can answer that."

The queen's hands went to her stomach again as if she were feeling intently for something that wasn't quite there and let out another sigh. This couldn't go on for much longer. She wanted to eat. She _needed_ to eat. And that soup did smell good. "I suppose I could try. What's the worst that could happen? It comes back up and I go right back into bed?" She slowly lowered herself into a chair at the table.

"I don't suppose the doctor that was here had any insight—"

"—No." Charlotte shook her head as she pushed the tray closer to her, "He suspects a flu. But you and I know very well that isn't the case."

"He was supposed to be back today, was he not?" Agatha asked and sat down in the other chair, "I hope I didn't miss his visit."

"Not, not that it really matters." Charlotte said softly and mindlessly stirred her soup with her spoon. Her voice was incredibly shaky, "I don't need a man to tell me that I'm with child…."


End file.
